The Redo
by RedHeadedFlame
Summary: If you had a chance to live your life again what would you change? Katniss Everdeen has always wondered what if after living a dissatisfying life for the past ten years. But one day she wakes up and realises she has an oppertunity to do over her biggest regrets.
1. Chapter 1: June 2018

**A/N: Welcome to another new story! It's time for another emotional roller coaster. I will warn you, Peeta is not going to appear for a couple of chapters and there is some Katniss and Gale at the start. But you should see from this chapter that Katniss and Gale are far from happy and please believe that Everlark is very much end game.**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 _Chapter 1_

 _June 2018_

I stare at the small digital clock on my work computer. I will it to change to 12:00pm marking my release from my chain to the doctor's reception desk. I've had my fair share of irate patients this week and my tolerance for them has reached its limit.

After what seems likes an age the little clock finally changes to 12:00 and I push back my chair abruptly. I swipe my handbag and turn to leave quickly. But Glimmer, one of the other girls that works on reception with me, halts my exit.

"I'm always so jealous of you getting out early. Part time work is the dream!" she exclaims.

I sigh as she catches my attention. I won't even bother explaining that the only reason I took this job at this Edinburgh doctor's surgery is because they let me finish before the schools let out. I work part time only so I can pick up my nine-year-old son every day from school.

I hate this job. It's boring and requires very few braincells. Ten years ago I had dreams of working for one of the world's leading sustainability companies and actually help to protect our wonderful Earth. But after a night with too many shots and not enough condoms, I fell pregnant during my final year of uni. Hunter was born two weeks before my final exams and I never graduated. I have less options without a university degree.

I try to make my exit again but Glimmer pulls me back with further questions.

"Any big plans this weekend?" she asks. "My own weekend is hectic. Some friend is holding a charity ceilidh tonight and I still don't know what I'm going to wear. And then my boyfriend is playing rugby sevens tomorrow so I'm going down to the borders to support him and hopefully celebrate afterwards. And then did I tell you that me and my friend have signed up for pole dancing lessons? I know it sounds a bit cheap but I really need to work on my core."

It's the same every weekend. Glimmer is only twenty-four and every weekend is filled with parties, sporting events and some sort of class. Her plans are normally so different from mine. My weekends revolve around shuttling Hunter to his next activity. She must think my life is so dull.

"Hunter has got a party tomorrow but I'm meeting two school friends for dinner at The Italian Kitchen tonight," I say.

"The Italian Kitchen is definitely the best restaurant in the area. But there's nowhere to drink afterwards!" Glimmer replies.

I nod my head but I never stay out late anymore. Someone always has a babysitter to get back to and when you have to wake up to a nine-year-old the next morning, you don't want to drink too much.

"But have you met the owner of it? He's a total hottie. Blonds aren't normally my type but he is the stuff of masturbation dreams!" she adds.

I turn quickly away from Glimmer and step towards the door. There are some things about Glimmer I don't want to know.

"Okay, Glimmer. Goodbye. Have a good weekend!" I call as I rush out the door.

I sigh in relief once I'm outside. The sun is actually shining in Edinburgh today and I need to go straight to my son's school just down the road.

As I walk towards the school I contemplate Glimmer's weekend plans. She may not be my cup of tea but I'm a little jealous of how vibrant her life is. I used to be like that. Every weekend going on some sort of adventure but that all stopped when I was twenty-two and had Hunter. Don't get me wrong. I love him more than anything but I wish I had him later in life.

I get to his school five minutes before the bell goes and check my phone while I wait for him to get out. I don't get on with most of the other mums in the playground. In the area we live in now most of the mums are at least ten years older than me and I've always felt a bit intimidated of them. They just seem to have so much more life experience than me and I always struggle to think of things to say.

I read a message from Rue, confirming plans for tonight and I'm not disturbed by anyone before the bell goes. As soon as it does I stuff my phone away and crane my neck to lookout for my son.

The children stream down the steps and it isn't long before I spot Hunter's familiar mop of dark hair. He walks beside his friend, Ben, both their heads bent as they read a comic book. They look up once they've reached the bottom of the steps and Hunter smiles as he sees me. He gives me a little wave before making his way over to me. Ben follows and Hunter looks up excitedly when he reaches me.

"Ben and I made the Avengers Tower out of Lego in Golden Time! Mrs Lyme took a picture of it and said she will print it out so we can show you," Hunter says.

I beam down at him as I put my arm around his shoulder.

"That's sounds awesome. What was the hardest part to make?" I ask.

Hunter pauses for a second and turns to Ben. After a moment he turns back to me.

"Probably the balcony. We couldn't get it to stay up," he replies.

I nod my head as we turn to walk out the school gates. Ben is coming home with us today so follows us out.

"I can't wait to see the picture of it. I better find room on the fridge," I say.

Hunter nods his head and begins to talk about the construction of the tower in more detail. He's very methodical as he talks me through all the steps and I love hearing him talk about something he is passionate about. I may have never known anything about superheroes before he was born but I don't mind having an encyclopaedic knowledge on them now.

"I finally got the paint needed for your Captain America shield. You can paint it this weekend," I say.

Both Ben and Hunter fist pump at this news.

"We can finally have our adventures with your shield and my Thor hammer!" Ben exclaims.

"It's going to be so cool. It's the only thing missing from my Captain America costume," Hunter replies.

I smile as we get closer to the house. The boys forget about me as they become too busy discussing all the superhero stories they know.

We eventually reach the four bedroom house complete with apple trees in the front garden and real wood burning fire place in the living room. I still have to pinch myself that we live in a house like this. Only four years ago we were living in a crummy flat in the Leith docks. But then Gale got offered a big promotion at the bank and even though he hated the job he took it so we could afford this house in Morningside and get Hunter into a better school. It's the type of house I dreamed of growing up in as a kid.

The boys dump their school bags on the wooden floor in the hallway before dashing off to play with their superhero figures. I manage to get them to stop long enough to have some lunch and then suggest we got to Blackford Hill so we can make the most of the sunshine.

Hunter goes off to find his magnifying glass and bug tins while Ben pulls out a notebook and pencil.

"The stream is the best place to find bugs. I want to find the biggest one yet," Ben says.

Hunter nods his head as he falls into step with me.

"Remember last time we found that really big flying beetle, Mum? I wish we had got a picture. Dad didn't believe us," Hunter says.

I put my hand around his shoulder and give him a little squeeze.

"I like that it was our secret. You don't tell me enough of your secrets now," I say with a smile.

Hunter smiles back at me and shakes his head.

"I don't keep secrets from you, Mum," he says.

I smile back at him and place a kiss on top of his head.

"Good. You can always tell me anything," I say.

Hunter nods his head but we soon reach the foot of the hill and head towards the stream at the bottom. The boys take off their socks and shoes so they can wade in the water and use their magnifying glasses to get a closer look at the creatures they find.

I sit on a rock bathed in sunshine and watch over them as they play. I'm glad that Hunter has such a good friend as Ben. My son is a quiet thinker and I sometimes feel guilty that he doesn't have a sibling to play with at home. Prim and I would always get up to mischief when she was alive and I think Hunter misses out on that. But I have no desire to have another child. Having one was disruptive enough on my life.

As they continue to explore I hear a small croak from beside me. I turn to look at it and smile when I see a frog sitting contently beside me. I turn back to look at the boys and gesture for them to come quietly over.

They creep over and Hunter looks at me curiously.

"What is it, Mum?" he asks.

I put my finger to my lips and point down. They peer over my shoulder and a look of delight fills my son's face.

"You found a frog, Mum!" he whispers.

I nod my head and grin.

"Do you think we should name it?" I ask.

Hunter nods his head.

"He should be called Bob," he says.

"You name everything Bob," I say, raising my eyebrow.

Every stuffed toy Hunter has ever gotten has been called Bob and so was the goldfish we kept for a week before it died. I'm not sure where the love for the name came from.

"I like the name. And it's easy to spell," he replies.

I laugh and stroke the top of his head.

"You're the boss," I say, before placing a kiss on his head.

Hunter nods and then Ben turns to him.

"Let's make him a house," Ben suggests. "I'll go and get some sticks and leaves."

Hunter nods his head in agreement and then moves away from me.

"I saw some dead flies we can give him for tea," he says.

I let them go with a smile and they spend the rest of the afternoon debating all the things Bob would need for his house.

I make them both wash their hands when we get back and then let them choose the toppings they want for the pizzas we are making. I pull the pizzas out the oven and the boys sit up straighter as I bring them over.

"Thank you, Mum," Hunter says before tucking it.

"Thank you, Katniss," Ben says. "You're such a cool mum. My mum never lets me make my own pizza and would have screamed if she had seen that frog!"

"Thank you, Ben. That's the nicest thing someone had said to me all week," I reply.

"You're welcome," Ben says.

At least someone still thinks I'm fun and interesting.

As soon as dinner is finished the boys get changed into their Cubs uniform and I take them to the local church hall where the group takes place. The boys walk in, now talking about making campfires instead of superheroes, and I wave before turning back to get ready for my night out.

I open my wardrobe and sigh when I realise all of my clothes are at least two years old. I flick through the coat hangers, desperately seeking for inspiration and finding none.

"Why is everything I own black?" I sigh as I take out a black top with an embellished neckline that I have worn a hundred times before.

I tug it on over my head and let my hair hang loose before sweeping some make-up on. Once I'm finished I send a quick message to Gale.

 _Remember I'm out for dinner so you need to pick up Hunter from Cubs. It finishes at 7.30._

I hit send and sort out my bag before I get a reply alert on my phone.

 _I have picked him up from Cubs before. I don't need you to remind me the time._

The message is curt but all our messages have been like that for the last few years. We may still be married but part of me is glad that I won't have to force small talk with him this evening.

I don't bother replying to his message. I don't want to start an argument just before I go out and I finish gathering up my things. I check myself once more in the mirror, deciding I don't look as old as I feel and duck out the door to meet my friends.

It is only a short walk to The Italian Kitchen. Nowadays I pick restaurants on the ease of getting back home at the end of the night and this restaurant in one of my favourites in Edinburgh. It has large glass windows that mean during the summertime it is flooded with light and there are always fresh flowers on the table. The menu is different every time I come here and the food always uses the freshest ingredients. It wouldn't surprise me if the owner was actually Italian as the dishes seem more authentic than your regular chain Italian restaurants.

Rue is already seated at the table and looking at the wine list when I arrive. She puts it down to smile warmly at me and give me a hug.

"You look great!" I exclaim as I return the hug.

Rue looks a little embarrassed as she tugs up the neckline of her lacey blouse. She had a baby just under a year ago and has been self-conscious about the weight she hasn't managed to shift ever since. But the red lacey top and good-fitting black jeans really compliment her new figure.

"Thank you. Thom said the same thing before I went out but I didn't believe him," she replies.

"Thom would think you were beautiful wearing a potato sack. How are he and Lucas?" I ask.

Rue smiles gratefully as we take our seats. She tucks her curly black hair behind her ear and a warmth appears in her eyes as she talks about her husband and son.

"Thom is convinced Lucas said Dada the other day but I'm not sure it was more than a gurgle. And if Lucas' first word isn't Mama I will be disappointed!" she replies.

"Well Hunter's first word was blankie so both Gale and I were beaten by a blue rag," I say.

Rue laughs.

"Trust the kids to remind us of our place in their lives," she says before looking at her watch. "And trust Madge to be late."

I smile as I shake my head.

"The best time was when she was so late that Gale's birthday party had actually ended by the time she arrived," I reply.

Rue nods her head.

"If she ever gets married I feel for the poor guy sweating over waiting for her to arrive," she says.

I laugh before we both pick up the menu. My mouth begins to water at the sight of a pancetta pasta on the menu and Rue and I have both decided what we'll order by the time Madge breezes through the door.

"So sorry I'm late. I had a mascara emergency where it all ended up on the new cream carpet. I'm praying the carpet cleaner with get rid of it all!" she exclaims.

Rue and I share a look and shake our heads as Madge bends down to give Rue a hug and then sit down in the seat next to me.

"Though I'm disappointed you haven't ordered a bottle of prosecco yet," Madge says.

"You know we always wait for you to arrive before we toast," Rue says.

Madge smiles and then turns to grab the waiter's attention. Within moments he is back pouring us glasses of golden bubbles.

"Cheers!" I say raising our glasses. "To an evening where we pretend we're young again!"

Rue laughs as we clink our glasses together and take a sip of our drinks. We've all known each other since the start of high school. Our high school was unusual in that the catchment area for it was very varied. While both Rue and I came from slightly rougher parts of the city, Madge came from the posher Stockbridge area. We all went to different primary schools and had very different backgrounds but bonded in our first year due to our quiet and shy natures. We've been there for every major event in each other's lives in the last twenty years and even though we're in different points of our lives now we still make the effort to get together at least once a month.

I put my glass down and turn to Madge. I haven't seen her since my birthday last month and haven't heard much from her since.

"How are you? I feel like we haven't spoken in ages," I say.

Madge doesn't quite meet my eye as she tries to casually shrug her shoulder.

"I've just been really busy with work. It seems everyone wants a big event right now. Plus I've been organising this charity walk for mum's MS," she says.

I wait for her to expand more but she just twirls the end of her napkin around and stays silent. I frown confused by her reaction. It's been strange not talking to her every day and she normally has a hundred stories about clients at work or the events that she goes to.

"How's the dating going? You normally have loads of stories to tell us," Rue tries.

Another shrug of the shoulder.

"Like I said, I've been busy. There's nothing new to tell," she says.

Rue and I share a surprised look as Madge begins tearing at the napkin.

"I'm gutted," Rue says. "Now we are married and boring, I've been living my romantic fantasies through you."

Madge scoffs.

"You don't know how lucky you both are to be married," she says.

Rue and I share another look but decide not to push the matter further. Maybe her mum's MS has taken a bad turn recently and she's had a bad day. I trust Madge to tell us if something was seriously wrong.

I turn to Rue instead to ask about her work.

"So have you found out what class you've got next year?" I ask.

Rue is a primary school teacher but has been on maternity leave for the last year. She's finally going back part time at the start of the new school year and I know she had a meeting with the head teacher this week to discuss it.

"Yes. I've got primary 4 which I like because they can do a lot but are still quite cute," she replies.

Madge seems to relax as the conversation turns away from her and she leans in closer to Rue.

"That's good. I've missed your school stories this year," she says.

"And I can stop boring you with stories about Lucas all the time," Rue adds.

We all laugh and I relax back into my chair.

"At least your stories about Lucas don't make me feel so bad for talking about Hunter all the time," I reply.

"I know. Who are we? Remember when we would just sit quoting _Friends_ to each other?" Rue says.

"I don't even have time to watch anything that doesn't have superheroes in it," I reply with a grin.

"At least that's better than Peppa Pig!" Rue reclaims.

We all laugh just as the waiter comes over to take our orders. Conversation flows freely after that but I still get a sense that Madge is holding something back. She keeps her attention on Rue for most of the night and I can't help but feel I have done something wrong.

I groan as I lean back in my chair after dessert and put a hand on my belly.

"I promised I would go on a diet before our holiday to Portugal in three weeks," I say.

Rue sighs as she puts her spoon down.

"You'll just run it all off tomorrow. I envy how quick you got back into shape after you had Hunter," she says.

I shake my head at her, trying to say she looks great as well. Madge licks the spoon before turning to Rue.

"Did you and Thom book a holiday yet?" she asks.

Ru scrunches her nose.

"Yes. We've rented a cottage up in Ullapool," she says.

"It's really lovely up there. Some of the beaches wouldn't look out of place in the Caribbean," I say.

"I know. But it's hardly Bali or Brazil. Hell, even Spain would be better, but we just can't afford it," she says.

Madge puts a sympathetic hand on her arm.

"It will still be great. Holidays are more about the people you go with than the places you go," she says.

"Maybe. I just always get regretful whenever we book a holiday. I sometimes wish I had just gone on that around the world trip after uni," she says.

"But it would have been quite scary on your own," I say.

Rue was supposed to go travelling around the world with her then boyfriend, Thresh, just after they graduated. But Thresh dumped her out the blue two weeks before and she didn't end up going.

"Yeah, it would have been but I would have met people on my travels. I just feel like I haven't lived my life to the fullest," she says.

That's something I can understand. I feel like I have wasted a lot of opportunities in my life since I've had Hunter. It's sometimes too easy to think about what if?

"Everyone has regrets in their life," I say. "I know I wonder what my life would be like if it wasn't for Hunter."

Rue smiles at my sympathetically.

"How are things with you and Gale? Has it improved?" she asks.

I let out a heavy sigh as I run a hand through my hair.

"No. I don't feel like we are even a couple. We're just two people that live in the same house. The only time we really talk is when we're with Hunter," I say.

"Have you tried talking about it? You guys have gone through so much together and I remember how in love you guys were before," Rue replies.

"I don't even really know where to start. We're just both unhappy with our jobs and I think partly blame the other for that. Hunter forced us to grow up too fast and all the passion is just gone. We haven't slept together for four months. We didn't even bother trying on my birthday," I say.

I look to Madge for advice because she's been quiet so far.

"What do you think?" I ask.

Madge looks startled to be asked and pauses for a long time before speaking.

"I think Gale is a good guy and you're lucky to have him," she says.

She doesn't offer anything else and I find myself disappointed. She's always been there to dish out advice when I need it and I'm fast running out of energy to even try with Gale.

The waiter comes with the bill a moment later and it isn't long before we gather our things to leave. Madge gives us hugs before jumping into a taxi and heading towards her flat in the New Town while Rue and I walk together to our homes. I get to mine first and there is another hug before I wave her off.

I sigh as I enter back into reality and slip off my shoes. I hear the TV on in the living room and find Gale slumped in a chair with a beer watching some repeat of a comedy on Channel 4. He doesn't acknowledge me as I take a seat on the sofa and I wait for a moment before speaking.

"Aren't you going to ask how my evening was?" I ask.

Gale takes a sip of his beer.

"Let me guess. You reminisced about the old days and talked about Hunter and Lucas," he says.

"You don't have to make it sound so boring," I say, sitting back into the cushions in a huff.

Gale shrugs his shoulder.

"At least you got out the house," he says.

I exhale loudly and then we both sit in silence as the TV plays. I grow bored of the comedy quickly and scan the room for mess. I spy Hunter's newly painted Captain America shield and smile.

"I see you helped Hunter with the shield. How excited was he?" I ask.

Gale puts down the beer to turn to me with a smile.

"I had to basically strap him down to stop him using it before the paint dried. His imagination is just so great. I couldn't come up with half the stuff he did when I was his age," he replies.

I smile back at him. Hunter is our safe topic. Something we are both proud of.

"Thank you. It will finally get him off my back. He's been nagging at me for ages to help him finish it," I say.

Gale nods his head.

"I enjoy doing that stuff with him. It's good to see him happy," he says.

We share a smile before Gale turns back to the TV. I decide to head to the kitchen to get a glass of water but when I enter, it is a bombsite. Pots of blue, white and red paint still lie on the table, with splashes of it all over the counters. A cup of dirty water has been knocked over and spills down the sides, leaving a puddle on the floor. It doesn't take long for my temper to boil. I storm through to confront Gale.

"You could have cleaned up the mess you made!" I hiss.

Gale snaps his attention away from the TV to scowl at me.

"I was going to before I go to bed. It doesn't have to be done right away," he replies tersely.

"The paint could stain! And the dirty water could ruin the floor! You don't get to do all the fun stuff without the responsibility of cleaning up after," I say.

"I said I will clean it up. You don't need to be aggressive about it!" he says.

"I'm not being aggressive! I just expect to come home to a clean house when I get back from a night out!" I exclaim.

"I worked until seven o'clock tonight, Katniss. I don't think it's unreasonable for me to have some relaxing time before I do chores," he says.

"And yet you would expect me to have all my chores done in time for you. You're a hypocrite!" I say.

"No offence, Katniss but you don't work eleven hours a day to make sure we have everything we need!" he replies.

"That's only because you were stupid enough to knock me up before I could finish my uni exams!" I snap.

Gale stands up abruptly and pushes past me.

"I'm not talking to you when you are being this unfair," he growls.

He then storms out the room and charges into the kitchen. I hear him banging pots and pans in there as I am left fuming in the living room. I'm angry at him for not listening to me but also angry at myself for getting into another fight with him. It's becoming a far too frequent occurrence between us.

I take a few deep breaths and shake out my limbs to try and rid the tension in my body. When I feel calmer I step out the room and head up the stairs. I peek my head around Hunter's door and let out a sigh of relief to see that he is still sleeping peacefully. I quietly creep into his room and bend down to brush some hair off his face. Watching him sleep rids the last of the anger out of my body and my heart fills with love. I gently lean down to place a kiss on his head before sneaking out the room.

I change into some ratty pyjamas and crawl into bed. I'm still awake when Gale comes back up but I keep my back to him as I pretend to sleep. The mattress dips as he climbs into bed next to me and neither of us attempt to touch the other before we fall asleep.

Hunter wakes me in the morning with his footsteps outside the door. I roll out of bed to shower not even bothering to check if Gale is awake or not. I don't see him until I'm cleaning up Hunter's breakfast and we don't exchange more than two words before he takes Hunter to his Saturday morning swimming lesson.

I'm left alone and I spend my Saturday morning scrubbing the bathroom clean. My only respite is a text message from Madge.

 _Hey. Can I still borrow that sleeping bag for the charity walk? Not sure where I put mine! X_

Madge's mum has MS and she does a lot to raise money and awareness for it. Her latest scheme is a sponsored walk of the West Highland Way and she's been doing lots of training for it and hopes to finish it in five days. I quickly type out a reply.

 _Of course! You can come and pick it up whenever you want. X_

 _You're a life saver! I'll be round in half an hour. X_

I smile as I put my phone down. Of course Madge's half an hour is lot longer than everyone else's and Hunter and Gale are back before she has come round. In fact she is so late that I have to leave to take Hunter to his trampolining party. I tell Gale that Madge might pop round for the sleeping bag but he just grunts as he turns the TV on.

* * *

I lean over to give Hunter a hug before he hops out the car for the party.

"Remember to listen to all the safety instructions the people give you," I say.

Hunter nods his head as he give me a hug.

"I will, Mum. I've done it before," he replies.

"Good. I love you. Have fun," I say as I stroke some hair back.

"I will. I love you too, Mum," he says.

I smile at him as he walks to join his friends. I keep watching until I've made sure he's got there safely and then turn the key in the ignition to go home.

I think about cutting the grass when I get back. I'm still pissed off with Gale from last night and at least that way I can keep out his way.

I turn the key in the lock, still thinking about all the things I still need to do this weekend. If I work quickly and don't get distracted I should manage some time for myself later in the afternoon.

But when I enter, Gale's standing in the hallway. Except he's not alone. He holds a blonde head tenderly in his hands as his lips sweep over hers. A soft moan escapes from the woman's mouth and it takes my brain a moment to fully comprehend what it's seeing. Gale and Madge. Kissing. In my hallway.

I'm frozen in shock but the sound of the door has alerted my presence to them. They spring apart and Madge has at least the decency to look ashamed. She moves as far away from my husband as possible and then begins shaking her head.

"Oh, Katniss! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. It's stupid. I've been so stupid," she says.

I stare at her in silence for a long moment as she keeps on apologising. But I don't want to hear it. Not when her hair is still mussed and lips red from my husband's kisses. I didn't think anyone could betray me in this way.

"Get out," I state.

Madge opens her mouth to apologise again but I shake my head fiercely.

"Get out. Now," I repeat.

She ducks her head and sniffles as she nods in agreement. I'm glad she doesn't look back at Gale before she walks out.

Once the door is closed I focus all my attention on Gale. The anger simmers in my body, reaching further and further up, ready to explode.

"Are you even going to try and explain what I just saw?" I state.

"I didn't sleep with her," he replies.

I scoff as I shake my head.

"Do you want a gold star for that? Kissing my best friend is just as bad," I reply.

Gale ducks his head.

"How many times?" I ask.

He pauses for a long moment before answering.

"Twice. The first time was at your birthday," he replies.

My heart falls to the bottom of my chest and I let out a strangled cry. I have to lean on the wall to balance myself.

All of Madge's behaviour the past month makes sense. Why she hasn't messaged me. Her refusal to talk about her love life last night. The whole time she has been feeling guilty for kissing my husband.

Gale waits for me to react and I take a deep breath before pushing off the wall and charging at him.

"How could you? My best friend! On my birthday!" I yell as I bang my hands against his chest.

Gale grabs my wrists to stop my movements and forces me to look up at him.

"I know. It's bad. But we were drunk and we haven't had sex in ages," he says.

"So it's my fault? I'm so sorry that I haven't been sucking your dick these past few months," I say bitterly.

"It's not just about the sex. Madge listens to me," he replies.

"I must be a really bad wife then," I say. "Are you even sorry?"

There is a pause as Gale takes a moment to answer. I scoff again as I throw his hands off me.

"There's my answer," I say as I turn my back to him.

I hastily rub at the tears at the corners of my eyes and sniff loudly.

"I think it's best you go and stay with your parents tonight. I don't want you here," I say.

I wrap my arms around myself and try to hold myself together. I'll want more answers later but I can't bear to look at him now. My brain needs time to comprehend what is happening.

There is a long silence and for a moment I think that neither of us will move. But eventually Gale steps forward and grabs his coat.

"We'll talk once you've calmed down," he says.

The comment makes my blood boil and I can't contain my scream.

"Get out! Get out! Get out! You're just a lying piece of shit and I don't want you near me again!" I yell.

Gale shakes his head and I slam the door behind him. I don't move until I hear the car leave the driveway. Only then do I let myself slide down to the floor and cry.

I sit, curled up on the floor and cry my eyes out for way too long. My phone buzzes with messages from Madge but I just throw it into a corner of the living room. The betrayal stings every nerve in my body and I'm not sure how I'm every going to pull myself up.

But eventually I have to go and pick Hunter up from his party so I spend half an hour in the bathroom trying to make it look like I haven't been crying.

I take deep breaths as I pull up at the trampoline place and try to push the image of Gale and Madge out of my head. It makes me feel physically sick to think about it and I didn't think it was possible to feel this much hatred towards a person.

Hunter is at least happy and chatting with his friends as I approach. He greets me with a bright smile.

"Hey, Mum! Callum had a Spiderman cake and we pretended to be Spiderman swinging in New York on the trampolines," he says.

The ache in my heart lessens a little a seeing him again and I bend down to speak to him.

"Sounds like you had a good time. Are you ready to leave?" I ask.

"Just one more minute, Mum," he asks.

I smile as I stroke some of his hair back.

"Sure, munchkin," I say.

I can let him have a few more moments of normalcy.

I explain that his dad has gone to stay with Granny tonight and I can tell he is a little confused about why we haven't gone with him. I'm not ready to tell him the truth, particularly as I'm not sure where this leaves Gale and I now. For now I want to focus on my son. I can figure out the rest later.

We build a wizard's castle on Minecraft and make ice-cream sundaes after dinner. I let Hunter choose the film and let him stay up later than normal because I don't want to be left up alone. After three chapters of Harry Potter I kiss him goodnight and then tidy up the mess we made. Without Hunter to distract me all the hurt feelings come roaring back and I get teary as I picture Gale and Madge kissing again and again.

I decide to crawl into bed and hope sleep makes me forget what I witnessed today. I screw my eyes tight shut to stop the tears from falling. I can't help but think of all the things that have led to this point. I know things have been bad for a while and I've always blamed it on Hunter being born when we were too young and that resulted in the passion fading. Maybe if I hadn't fallen pregnant at twenty-one I wouldn't be feeling this pain right now.

* * *

I must somehow fall asleep because the next thing I know I am being woken by some thumping outside the door. I groan and screw my eyes shut, not wanting to wake to the reality of my husband cheating on me.

The thumping continues and it's louder than Hunter normally is. I turn over to place a pillow over my head but my hand bangs onto something solid. Confused, I slowly open my eyes to find myself staring at a purple wall. I sit up abruptly and shake my head as I try to figure out what I'm seeing. I'm not in my double bed. The sheets are a green floral pattern I used to have as a teenager. I whip my head round to spy another single bed pushed against the wall on the other side of the room. There are posters of Brad Pitt and Harry Potter on the walls. School and university textbooks line the selves. This looks just like the room Prim and I shared when we were growing up.

A moment later the door opens and a smiley blonde enters and I freeze from my spot on the bed.

"Hey! I thought with it being your day off you would have slept in longer," my sister says.

Primrose. My sister. My little sister. My little sister who has been dead for the last nine years.

Where the hell am I?


	2. Chapter 2: August 2008

Chapter 2

 _August 2008_

I blink several times as I try to figure out how I got here. Prim continues to rattle on about some party at the weekend but I can't focus on her words. I turn my head around to survey the room and it is identical to the one I grew up in. My cross-country trophy sits on the window sill and Prim's tatty stuffed cat lies on the end of the bed. I even remember the floral top Prim is wearing. She bought it on one of the rare occasions she dragged me shopping and wore it all the time during summer. It's like I have been transported back in time.

I'm suddenly aware that Prim has gone quiet and she looks at me quizzically.

"Are you okay? You didn't have a few cheeky beers last night? You look a bit spaced out," she says.

I force myself to look at her and try not to look freaked out.

"Sorry. I feel like I have woken from a strange dream," I say.

"Oh my God! Wait 'til I tell you about my crazy dream last night. It started with me sitting on the bed and then waves are suddenly lapping all around me. Five sharks turn up and then Dominic Cooper just appears on a surf board and…" Prim starts

"…and he rescues you, the surf board changes into a speed boat and he takes you to join the cast of _Mamma Mia_ ," I finish.

Prim looks taken aback and stares at me strangely.

"Yeah. How did you know?" she asks.

Because I've had this conversation with her before. I remember her telling me about this dream years ago. _Mamma Mia_ had just come out and Prim became obsessed with all things Abba. I remember teasing her for months after. How can I be relieving this again?

"Lucky guess," I try to back track. "You've been singing the sound track non-stop."

Prim pauses for a moment before shrugging her shoulder.

"You're right. I'm going to kill _Dancing Queen_ the next time we do karaoke," she replies.

I just keep looking at her in disbelief. It's been so long since I've seen her and I'm suddenly reminded of all the little things that make her unique. The way she flicks her hair over her shoulder and the fact her shirt is always untucked at the back. I had forgotten just how bubbly and easy going she was.

"Are you real?" I ask before I even think.

Prim gives me that strange look again.

"Are you sure you didn't drink last night? And I hope I'm real and not been turned into a cyborg," she says.

I try to laugh it off and reach up to twirl the ends of my hair. But I don't have to reach up as high to find the ends of my hair. My hair is no longer shoulder length but reaches all the way down my back. It hasn't been this long since before I had Hunter. I drop my hands and try to figure out what this all means.

"Sorry. I think I'm still waking up," I say.

Prim doesn't look convinced but doesn't question me further. She bends down to pull out a bag and slings it over her shoulder.

"I'll let you fully wake up then. I'm going to hit the town and see what festival things I can do," she says.

The Edinburgh festival. It happens every year and a wide range of plays and comedians come up to put on shows for almost an entire month. That must mean it's August. August of what year, I'm not sure but judging by Prim's age I would guess either 2007 or 2008. Why am I back here?

I'm still trying to figure this out as Prim prepares to leave the room but just before she exits out the door I call out to stop her.

"Wait!" I call as I scramble out of bed. "If you wait for me to have a shower I'll come with you."

Prim stops and turns to me in surprise.

"But you hate town when the festival is on," she says.

She's right. I hate that the centre of town is jammed packed with tourists, all deciding to move at the pace of snails as well as just stopping randomly so they can take photos of the castle. It's impossible to find a taxi at the end of a night out because these same tourists are nabbing them first. And I hate all the show promoters that bombard you in the streets trying to get you to see their improv shows based on Shakespeare or Dickens. About the only good thing in the festival is that the clubs stay open until 5am.

But today I am somehow back with my sister. I don't know why I'm here or for how long and I'm not going to waste another second without her. When she died in a road accident I cried myself to sleep every night wishing I could spend at least one more hour with her. I've finally got the chance.

"I need to get over my hatred of the crowds and go out and enjoy it. Everyone keeps telling me that I'm missing out on some great shows," I say.

Prim smiles broadly at me.

"You're totally right. Bonnie was telling me about this amazing naked puppet show," she says.

I raise my eyebrows in alarm and Prim laughs.

"I'm joking. But she did give me some good comedy recommendations. Some are even free!" Prim adds.

I let out a sigh of relief and Prim laughs again.

"I can be ready in twenty minutes," I reply.

Prim nods her head happily and leaves to allow me to get ready. I pause for a moment as I survey my old bedroom before shaking my head and bending to find some clothes.

I find some more clues to when I actually seem to have travelled back in time to. I find my old Motorola phone on the bedside table and it tells me that the date is Wednesday 6th August 2008. It's the summer before my final year of uni and I realise with a shock it can only be a few days before I fell pregnant with Hunter. I place my hand on my stomach and notice the lack of scar from where I had Hunter delivered through a C-section. I wrap my hand around my stomach as I try to remember a world where my son didn't exist yet.

But I can't contemplate this for long as Prim shouts at me to hurry up. I grab a bundle of clothes and rush into the shower.

It's a typical grey day in Edinburgh but the tourists still stand out with their back packs and digital cameras. The crowds are made worse by the recently started work on the new Edinburgh trams meaning large parts of Princes Street is closed off to traffic. But Prim pulls me towards the Royal Mile and the whole street is full of people and colourful performers. I groan when I see the first show promotor dressed in Victorian clothing come towards us.

"Can I interest you in our show? It's a production of _Oliver Twist_ except we rap all the lines," he says enthusiastically.

I roll my eyes but Prim just grins at me before happily accepting the leaflet.

"That sounds really interesting. I've always thought rapping would improve _Oliver Twist_ ," she replies.

The man smiles gratefully at us before moving onto his next victim.

"You're too nice," I say as we move on.

"It's all part of the fun of the festival. I bet I can get more flyers than you as we walk up towards the castle," she says.

I raise my eyebrow, liking how she's making it a challenge. My sister knows I love a competition.

"Deal," I say, putting out my hand. "Winner buys lunch."

Prim eagerly shakes my hand before turning back to face the crowd of people.

"And I'm already one flyer up!" she declares.

I raise my eyebrow at her but Prim just laughs before she sees another person approaching. It doesn't take her long to retrieve her second flyer.

I realise I need to step up my game and the two of us begin meandering up The Royal Mile, collecting leaflets and pretending to be interested in shows. It goes against all my natural instincts to not scowl at every person that comes near me but as I near the end I feel I've managed to master my approachable face and am reasonably happy with the number of leaflets I have collected. I even cheat a little and pick some discarded leaflets off the ground.

Prim waits for me at the top of The Royal Mile with a huge grin.

"How did you do?" she asks curiously.

"I told you I could be charming when I want to be," I say, holding up my pile of leaflets.

Prim nods her head impressed but then removes her own pile of leaflets out from behind her back.

"Not a bad first attempt. But I think I win," she says.

I don't even have to count to know she has done better than me. Her pile looks double in size of mine and I curse her angelic looking face.

"I should have known I was challenging a professional," I say with a sigh.

Prim shrugs her shoulder casually.

"This is not my first time. See what you have been missing out while you stayed cooped up!" she replies.

I laugh and we discard our flyers in a nearby bin. I wrap my arm around her shoulder and give her a squeeze.

"I'll admit I had fun. Next year I'm going to beat you," I say.

But as soon as I say it I think about how Prim won't be here next year. She'll be hit by a car before she even finishes her final year of school.

I grow a little solemn at the thought but don't want to dwell on that. The biggest thing her death taught me is to savour every moment I have with the ones I love. Prim's not going to die today and I need to embrace that fact.

Prim doesn't seem to notice my melancholy and we turn to watch some street performers. We laugh at a comedy tightrope walker and hold our breath when a man gets on a really high unicycle and starts juggling knives. We even manage to find a free fringe show that is half decent and we come away laughing before settling in Princes Street Gardens and eating some lunch. Edinburgh Castle looms above us and the flags from the military tattoo flutter in the light breeze.

I sigh in content as we both lean back on the grass and look up at the sky. This is how I should have been living my life. I should have put myself out there more and been open to more experiences. Already I feel like I have lived a bit more of my life by reliving this day.

"Thanks for letting me come today. I may even do this next week after you have gone back to school," I say.

Prim turns to me with a grin.

"I like this new attitude. You've always been more of a glass half empty type of person and it can be a bit annoying at times," she says.

I smile as my phone buzzes in my bag and I scramble to get it. My heart stops when I see it is a message from Gale.

 _I washed the sheets today and now my bed doesn't smell of you_ _. Missing you today. Can I meet you for a kiss? Xxxx_

The message is such a shock to read. I don't remember the last time we sent a message to each other that didn't involve telling the other to pick up Hunter or run some errand. It's strange to read a message that holds so much affection, particularly after he has just betrayed me in my future life.

I hastily stuff the phone back in the bag and try to ignore it for now. Spending a day with my sister had made me forget the pain he had caused by kissing Madge and I don't like the feelings of anger that begin to swell in my stomach again. But Prim notices something is off and tilts her head to the side with a frown.

"Who was that?" she asks.

"Just Gale," I say, avoiding looking in her eye.

How can I explain to my sister that I am angry with him for something he has done in the future? This version of Katniss and Gale were still completely besotted with each other. We had been dating for nearly two years at this point and our friends had begun to joke about our wedding. They would all be shocked to know how bad things get in the future.

"Is he mad at me for taking all your time on your day off?" Prim asks.

"Not really," I say with a shrug. "Just wanting a kiss."

Prim practically melts into a puddle at this comment and puts her hand on her chest.

"Uhh. I'm so jealous. Where can I find a boy that loves me like that?" she replies.

"You're only seventeen," I point out.

"So? Mum met Dad when she was sixteen," Prim says.

I nod my head but don't say anymore. I want to get away from the subject of Gale and love as quickly as possible. But Prim has other ideas.

"You should invite Gale to join us. You haven't brought him round to the house recently. You're too busy spending all your time at his," Prim teases.

"I thought this day could be just you and me," I say.

My heart rate picks up as I begin to panic about the thought of seeing Gale again. The last time I saw him I wanted to punch him in the face. I don't think I can pretend that everything is okay.

"Just invite him. I don't mind the PDA," Prim replies.

My heart drops as I try to think of a good excuse to not invite him but Prim just watches me expectedly as she waits for me to text him. With a sigh I reluctantly dig my phone out my bag and text him. He replies almost instantly saying he'll be there in half an hour.

I'm on edge as I wait for him to arrive and tap my foot on the ground. I don't really listen to what Prim is saying as I keep checking over my shoulder to see if he has arrived yet. Eventually Prim stops her chattering and beams at me.

"Here he comes. Mr he gave me five orgasms in one night!" Prim exclaims.

I thump her on the arm and regret sharing some of my sexual escapades with her. I then take a deep breath as I turn around and brace myself to see him.

But something funny happens in my chest when I turn to him. His eyes immediately lock onto mine and he gives me a smile so warm and tender it tickles my heart. He hasn't looked at me like that in such a long time.

He pulls me into his side and places a kiss on the side of my head once he has approached and I hope he doesn't notice the tension in my body.

"Hey, Catnip. I've missed you," he murmurs.

There is another twinge in my heart. The use of his old nickname for me makes me nostalgic and long for the time our relationship was simple. I don't even remember when he stopped calling me that.

Gale then reveals a small cardboard box and pops opens the lid to show us.

"I bought you both cupcakes. Prim, this is for finally telling you congratulations on your exam results. And Katniss this is just because I know you love banana toffee," he says.

Prim grins gratefully at him as she greedily accepts the cupcake and I take mine slowly out of the box. I turn to Gale stunned as he gives me another sweet smile.

"You're the best," Prim says as she takes a large bite. "Now I know why Katniss fell in love with you."

Gale chuckles as he gives my waist a little squeeze and I continue to look down at the cupcake. I had forgotten he used to do things like this for me. I am reminded how he used to play nurse for me when I was ill, bringing me chicken soup and wrapping me in blankets. And I also remember how he would sneak my favourite chocolate bar in my bag when he knew I was having a bad day. These things fell away once we became parents.

I look back up at him and find I'm not as angry as I thought. This Gale loves me and wouldn't dream of hurting me. This is how our relationship still should have been.

"Thank you," I say quietly.

Gale grins and pulls me closer.

"Food is the easiest way to your heart," he says. "If I'm lucky I might get a blow job later for it."

I thump him on his arm.

"We're in front of my sister!" I exclaim.

Prim rolls her eyes.

"It's not like I'm an innocent virgin, Katniss," Prim points out.

Gale chuckles and tips my head up to look at him.

"And she did walk in on us that one time doing it on your kitchen table," he says.

I sigh but Gale just laughs again as he pulls my chin up for a kiss. I'm a little shocked by the contact but butterflies I almost forgot existed flutter in my stomach.

I spend the rest of the afternoon with Prim and Gale, lounging in Princes Street Gardens and I even find myself enjoying being in Gale's presence. He finds lots of small ways to touch me and he makes Prim laugh. The part of me that hasn't had sex in four months almost wants to take up his offer to go home with him and christen his clean sheets. But his future betrayal still lurks in the back of my mind. Instead I go home with Prim and we watch a cheesy romantic movie where we quote all the best lines. As I crawl into bed that night, I fully expect to wake up in my future life again. I'm not sure what the purpose was to come back to this day but I got to spend another day with my sister and it made me forget how crappy my life is now. Maybe that's all I needed.

But the next morning my alarm goes off and I wake to still being in my old childhood bedroom. Prim groans in the bed opposite me but rolls over to go back to sleep. I sit up, confused on why I'm still here but the alarm keeps ringing, forcing me out of bed.

I find my work schedule for the clothes shop at the local shopping centre and realise I need to be there within the next half an hour. If I was going back in time I certainly wouldn't want to go back to days where I spent nearly my whole time folding t-shirts and trousers.

I got this job when I was sixteen and wanted some cash to help out mum. I kept it on my entire university life and only quit when I had Hunter and moved to a different part of the city. It was never a job that I enjoyed and I'm not sure if it is better or worse than the job I have at the doctor's surgery. But the job does let me have time to think about why I am back here.

Clearly yesterday wasn't a one off day. It seems I'm stuck here reliving my life again. There have been so many times over the last few years I've wished I did things differently. Maybe this is my chance to do that.

It doesn't escape my notice that I've come back to three days before Hunter was conceived at Rue's twenty-first birthday party. The night before I came here I wished I had him later. Maybe I can stop myself from falling pregnant on Saturday. My heart clenches at the thought of Hunter not being born but maybe if I don't fall pregnant now, my relationship with Gale will be better. We won't be constrained by a baby and we can both pursue the careers we want. Then, when we're emotionally ready for a baby, Hunter can be born.

It's a risky strategy. There's no guarantee the baby we have in the future is anything like Hunter. It could be a girl or blonde or hate superheroes. But maybe we would all be happier.

And if I'm here I can try and save Prim. I could stop her leaving the house the day that car runs a red light. I could give her an opportunity to live.

By the Saturday, my mind is made up. I'm not going to be back here and live my life the exact same way. I'll just end up bitter and hurting because of a man who used to love me. It's a chance to redo my life better.

Prim watches me as I get ready for Rue's twenty-first party. She lies on her stomach, absentmindedly flicking through a magazine as she gives me tips on what to wear.

"Don't wear the black one. Your bum looks great in it but you always wear black. Try the red one. It makes your skin glow," she says.

"Thanks, Little Duck," I say.

I tug on the red dress with a sparkly top half and plunging neckline. I let my long hair fall down my back in natural waves and Prim nods her head in approval.

"Gale's going to want to take you right there in the hallway when he sees you," she says.

I smile as I straighten my dress in the mirror but my mind flits to the condoms in my bag that I have to make sure I use tonight.

"What time is Dalton coming round?" I ask.

Dalton is Prim's boyfriend from school and they have been seeing each other the last couple of months. They are taking the opportunity of Mum's nightshift to spend some alone time together.

"8.30. We might head out to Bonnie's party afterwards," she says.

"Okay. I'll probably stay at Gale's tonight so you don't have to worry about me walking in on you two," I reply.

"Thanks, sis. We're planning to perfect reverse cowgirl tonight," she says with a grin.

I smile and shake my head at her before gathering up my things. The doorbell goes not long after and I answer to let Gale in.

He stops to take me all in and I smile coyly at him. When his eyes eventually reach back up to my face, he steps in and kisses me deeply. I let him as he pushes my back against the wall and run my hands through his hair. All his small messages to me these last few days have reminded me of the things I loved about him in the first place. And if I'm going to make it work this time I have to forget about what the future him did to me.

"Could we just skip the party and stay in," Gale murmurs against my lips.

I shake my head as I gently push him off me.

"Rue's one of my best friends. She would notice if I wasn't there," I reply.

Gale sighs as he turns to follow me out the house.

"Fine. But we're not staying until the end. And that dress is going to be on my bedroom floor at the end of the night," he says.

"Who says we'll even make it to the bedroom?" I say as I throw a wry smile over my shoulder.

Gale groans as he squeezes me waist and nuzzles my neck.

"You're perfect," he breathes.

I chuckle lightly as we walk down the rest of the path and hail a taxi into town.

Rue is having her party at the Liquid Rooms and there is a live band on tonight. Gale doesn't let go of my hand as we descend the stars to the basement club and I grin when I see Rue standing beside all her twenty-first helium balloons.

"Happy Birthday!" I exclaim as I let go of Gale's hand to give Rue a hug.

She squeezes me tight in return before stepping back with a slight wobble.

"Thank you!" she replies. "I may already be a little bit pissed."

"It's your birthday. That's definitely allowed," I reply.

Rue laughs before taking a long sip of the drink in her hand. I survey the rest of the people nearby and notice a lot of familiar faces. Everyone has got drinks in their hands and there is a lot of laughter already.

"I hope Thresh has been spoiling you today," Gale says.

Rue bobs her head excitedly but I tense as I spy her boyfriend over her shoulder. He's chatting to some other friends and laughs causally at something they said. In less than a year he's going to break my friend's heart and I'm not sure I can stop it.

"Let's just say I enjoyed how he woke me up today. And we made heart shaped pancakes together," she says.

I try to smile but it's hard when I know the happiness won't last. He'll just turn out to be a silly boy who is scared of commitment.

"Madge of course isn't here yet," Rue adds.

I drag my eyes away from Thresh to focus on my friend.

"Of course not. The party only started an hour ago," I reply.

"She only does it to make an entrance," Gale says.

I tense a little to hear him talking about her. I know nothing is going on with them now but the image of the two of them together comes raring back into my head. The sight makes me feel a little sick and I cling onto Gale that little bit tighter.

"She is the world's worst timekeeper," Rue says. "And she says she's bringing some guy."

I raise my eyebrows, trying to remember who Madge was dating at this point.

"Do we know anything about him?" I ask.

"Only that she met him at the gym," Rue replies.

Gale shakes his head.

"Ten quid says he's a gym wanker who can't talk about anything other than working out and protein shakes," he says.

"She does pick some idiots," Rue agrees.

"I guess it must be hard when her two best friends are both loved up," Gale adds.

We all nod our heads but it still makes me uncomfortable to hear him talk about her love life.

Gale goes off to get me a drink and I begin mingling with the rest of the guests. It's funny being back with my friends from uni. Some of the people I haven't seen since Hunter was born and it's nice to be out without the thought of waking up to a nine-year-old the next morning.

Everyone is so young and fearless. The bank crisis and subsequent recession hasn't hit yet and everyone totally believes they will get jobs and buy houses after uni. No one is tied down by commitments and the drinks go down quickly. I make sure to monitor what I'm drinking though. Hunter was conceived because I had too many tequila shots and forgot about the condom when Gale took me home. I need to be more aware about it tonight.

Madge eventually turns up with her new man in tow. I find it strange to see her at first because the last time I did she was attached to my husband's face but I force myself to remember that this Madge hasn't betrayed me. This is the girl who bought the pregnancy test for me and cleaned my sick up the first time I got drunk.

"I'm so sorry I'm late. I took a nap and then woke realising that the party had already started!" she exclaims.

Rue and I both laugh as she pulls us in for a hug. Madge then steps back to introduce the guy she brought.

"Rue, Katniss, I would like you to meet Marvel," she says with a smile.

She wraps her arm around his and looks up at him adoringly but one look at his smug face and I remember exactly who he is. He and Madge ended up dating for six months until it came out that he had a girlfriend the entire time. Gale was right. He is a gym wanker.

"Nice to meet you! I'm so glad you came to my party. Everyone has to do at least one tequila shot tonight," Rue says.

"Sweet. Line them up for me," Marvel replies.

I give him a scowl but no one else seems to notice. I watch him with disgust as he walks to the bar and Madge starts gushing about him.

"He's pretty hot," Rue says.

"Tell me about it. I get wet just looking at him. Plus he's really active. He plays rugby and goes to St Andrews too. I can't believe I haven't bumped into up there!" she squeals.

"But how much about him do you really know? Do you definitely know he's single?" I ask.

"Why would he ask me out if he wasn't single?" Madge says.

I keep my mouth shut as I try to figure out a way to tell her he has a girlfriend. I may not be able to stop Thresh breaking Rue's heart but I can try and stop Madge getting hurt by this dick.

I watch Marvel closely for a lot of the night and try to come up with a plan. An idea finally comes to me when I see him go to the smoking area and go on his phone. I spy Madge and make my way quickly over to her.

"Madge, I think there is something you should know," I say, gently touching her elbow.

"What?" she asks.

"I was just coming past the smoking area and I overheard Marvel on his phone. It sounded like he was talking to another girl," I say.

Madge's face falls.

"Why do you think that?" she asks.

"I heard him call someone babe and that he missed her tight little arse," I lie.

Madge's face hardens and she clenches her fists at her side.

"What a fucking dick!" she declares.

"I'm so sorry," I say.

"He's the one that should be sorry," she says.

I nod my head and she then storms over to him at the smoking area. He is now off the phone and Madge starts yelling at him. Rue sidles up next to me and frowns.

"What's going on there?" she asks.

"He has a girlfriend," I reply.

"Wanker," Rue replies. "I'll get more tequila shots."

I smile and nod my head as Madge and Marvel continue to hash it out. The argument ends with her throwing a drink in his face and walking away. I pull her in for a hug just as Rue comes back with the shots.

"I hate boys," Madge says.

"There is a good one out there for you," Rue says. "And until you find him you will always have us and tequila."

Madge smiles as she takes the shot off her.

"I love you guys," she says.

"We love you too," Rue replies.

The rest of the night goes quickly as I spend most of the time dancing to the live band. Gale finds me in the crowd and puts his hands on my hips as I swing them side to side. He leans down to place kisses on my neck and I feel him grow hard behind me.

"Do you want to go home?" I ask as I spin around.

"You sure Rue won't miss you?" he says.

"We've stayed long enough," I reply, reaching up to place a kiss on his lips.

Gale squeezes me before our lips break with a sigh.

"Let's say our goodbyes then," he says.

I nod my head before finding Rue and hugging her goodbye. Gale drags me out the club and we somehow manage to hail a taxi to take us back to his place.

It starts off just like how it did the first time. Gale pounces on me the minute we get through his door and I begin taking his clothes off before we even reach the bedroom. It's been so long since I've felt this heat between us that I am eager to feel his hot skin. We tumble onto the sofa and I settle on top. Gale takes his dick in his hand and tries to guide me towards him. But I put a hand on his chest to stop him.

"Condom," I pant.

"Oh shit! Can't believe we almost forgot," he says.

He then reaches down to retrieve one and roll it onto his cock. Once it's secured he reaches up to kiss me one more time before I plunge down onto him. As I ride him with abandon I hope I have made the right decision.

The next morning I feel a little empty as I wake. I place my hand over my stomach and have to believe that Hunter will find his way back into my life sometime in the future. It's a funny feeling when my period arrives later that month and I cry with a mixture of relief and sadness at the sight.

But I try to ignore the fact my son is not in my life. Without my pregnancy I can focus on my final year of uni and work harder than I probably would have had if I hadn't lived this life once already before.

I continue to meet my promise to live my life better this time around. I suggest more outings with Prim and try to yes to more things. This means when Madge asks me to go with her to Spanish class I do and I suggest that we all rent a cottage up in Aviemore for New Year. The year flies by and I don't panic as much when the UK announces it is officially in recession and I can't share in everyone's joy as Obama is elected, knowing Trump is eight years away from office.

Before I know it, Easter 2009 has hit and I'm just finishing up my dissertation instead of worrying about the cost of push chairs and nappies. All my hard work seems to be paying off and I'm on course for a first class honours degree if I do well in my final exams. Just before the uni breaks out for the Easter holidays, my tutor calls me into my office.

Beetee's office is a mess of papers and coffee stains on his desk but he is one of the most respected people in sustainability and I have soaked up everything he has said this year, hoping to emulate him at some point in my life.

"Thanks for coming to see me today, Katniss. I have to say that the pages you have submitted so far for your dissertation are very impressive," he says.

"Thank you. You've really inspired me this year," I reply.

"I don't think I can take most of the credit. Your passion and enthusiasm has really shone through this year," he says.

I smile but don't tell him that my passion drives from not being able to succeed in this field once before. I'm making sure I do things right this time.

"I know someone who works at the Paylor Sustainability Centre and they are looking to hire a trainee. I want to put you forward for it," he says.

I'm left speechless. Paylor Sustainability is the biggest company in Scotland and I have even talked about some of their work in my dissertation. It would be my dream job.

"I would love that. Their work on trying to reduce carbon emissions has been exemplary," I reply.

"I agree. In a time when the country is suffering from indulging in too much, it's the perfect time for the company to try and encourage less," he says.

I nod my head in agreement and still can't believe he is offering it to me.

"Here are all the details for the interview. I can run interview prep with you beforehand. But as long as your passion for the field comes across, I'm certain you will nail it," he says.

I smile broadly as I reach across to get the interview details. I can't believe how well things are working out this time.

I spend every free moment over the next few days prepping for the interview and some of my relationships suffer as a result. But I'm confident when I walk into the interview and come out with a spring in my step. I really think I've got it.

Prim is home when I get back, doing homework at the kitchen table.

"How did it go?" she asks.

I can't hide my grin as I take a seat next to her.

"Really well. They said they will phone back later today," I reply.

Prim leans in to give me a hug.

"They'd be mad not to give it to you," she says.

"Thank you, Little Duck," I say.

Prim smiles as we pull away but then sighs.

"Does this mean you'll move out? Do you think you will move in with Gale?" she asks.

Her question forces me to stop and think. I haven't seen a lot of Gale recently. This time in my old life we were about to move in together in that crummy flat in Leith. I know we've been together three years but the thought hadn't crossed my mind.

It's not like things are bad. And the sex is still great when we are together. It's just that it's been rare for the two of us to be alone together recently. We've both been so busy finishing up our under grad degrees that we haven't been that great at making time for each other.

But I'm saved from answering Prim's question by my phone ringing. I frantically reach for it and my heart beats faster when I see the caller ID.

"Hello," I answer.

"Hi. Is this Katniss Everdeen? This is Fiona Paylor from Paylor Sustainability," she says.

"Yes. That's me," I say before I hold my breath.

"Great. We're phoning to say how much we enjoyed your interview today. You interviewed really well and your enthusiasm came across," she begins.

"Yes…" I say, eager to find out more.

"And we would like to offer you a trainee place at the company starting in September," she finishes.

"Really? That's great news. I would love to work with you," I reply.

Fiona Paylor laughs lightly.

"We look forward to working with you. I think you'll bring a lot of good ideas," she says. "We'll email all the recruitment stuff."

"Thank you so much. I look forward to working with you," I say.

"That's great, Katniss. We'll be in touch," she says.

"Great. Goodbye," I say.

Paylor says goodbye too and then I hang up the phone. I turn to Prim and she flings her arms around me.

"Congratulations. You deserve it!" she says.

I squeeze her tight and feel giddy when I let her go.

"It's my dream job, Prim," I say.

"I know," she says but we're interrupted by the doorbell.

I get up to answer it with a huge smile on my face and get a bit of shock when I find Gale on the other side.

"Hi," I say as I step aside to let him in.

"I didn't think you were coming over today," I say.

"I thought I hadn't seen you for a while so decided to surprise you," he says.

We walk through to the kitchen and Prim looks up from her homework.

"You came at the right time. Katniss just found out she got the job at Paylor Sustainability," she says.

"Oh yeah. Rue mentioned you had an interview there," he says.

"I thought I told you," I say.

"We haven't really spoken in five days," he says.

I wrack my brain to try and prove him wrong but can't remember one conversation we've had since Beetee told me about the interview.

"I'm sorry. I should have told you," I say.

"Yeah," Gale says before there is a long pause. "Is it bad that you didn't even think about telling me?"

The atmosphere in the room shifts and I can tell an unpleasant conversation is on the horizon. Prim senses it to and she quickly gathers up her books.

"I'm going to finish this upstairs. It'll stop me eating all the biscuits," she says.

Neither of us say anything as we watch her move out the room. We don't speak until we hear the bedroom door close at the top of the stairs.

"What's happened to us?" I ask. "There was a time when we were inseparable."

Gale stuffs his hands in his pocket and looks down.

"We've both been busy focusing on uni. In today's job climate we need to go that extra mile to succeed," he replies.

"I don't think anything is going to change," I admit. "This job is a big deal and I want to be the best I can possibly be at it. And you'll be working towards your masters next year. Something is going to have to give."

"You're right. The timing isn't right anymore," he says.

I hang my head as I realise what this means. Previous experience has taught me that I will regret it if I don't give this new job 100%. I won't grow bitter about Gale holding me back again. And this time we don't have a child tying us together. Maybe this new life was to show me that Gale and I would never have worked in the long run. We were fools to still be together when things had grown stale after Hunter was born.

"I didn't think this would happen," I say.

"It's no one's fault. And I'll still be your friend," he replies.

I nod my head and we pause for a moment before stepping in and hugging each other tight.

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, some things are never meant to be.

* * *

 **A/N: Some people may be surprised that Katniss gave Gale another chance but I think it was important for her to try when they didn't have a child or the what if would have continued to linger. She needed to date Gale like this to realise that it wasn't Hunter that caused their relationship to go stale. They were never meant to be. But there will be no more romance between Katniss and Gale now and Peeta is going to make his first appearance in the next chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3: May 2009

Chapter 3

 _May 2009_

It's a strange few days after my break-up with Gale. I don't feel sadness over it now but it makes me sadder for the relationship we had in my other life. Because now I know exactly where we went wrong.

I always blamed Hunter's birth for sucking the passion out of the relationship but I now know that wasn't the problem. Gale and I were both ambitious people but we weren't able to see out these ambitions because of Hunter's birth. I never finished uni and Gale took the job at the bank instead of completing his masters in engineering. Both of us blamed the other person for our regret over not succeeding in the jobs we wanted and that's what caused the flame to die.

And it's ambitiousness that has caused us to fail again now but it doesn't hurt this time. I know how bad it will get if we stay together so it's almost a relief to know that is not coming. I throw myself into revising for my final exams and my only wobble is the day that would have been Hunter's birthday. On that day it really hits me that Hunter will now never be born and it leaves me feeling hollow inside. I spend most of the day curled up in my bed watching _Iron Man_ and crying when I remember how Hunter would quote the movie as he watched it.

There is an emptiness in my heart that I'm not sure will ever be completely be filled. It will always be reserved for Hunter and it makes me contemplate whether my happiness and hopefully career success is worth giving up my son.

The only thing that stops me dwelling on Hunter is to study hard and I get through my exams. When it's all over I am confident I've done enough to achieve that first class honours degree I wasn't able to achieve the first time.

With my exams out the way I focus on the other thing I wanted to achieve in this redo life: saving Prim.

The date is burned permanently in my brain. Thursday 21st May 2009. Prim was on study leave at school and had been revising at home all day. But she liked to take a walk in the afternoon to refocus herself. She went on her usual walk to the shops to help satisfy her chocolate craving. She stopped at a pedestrian crossing and waited for the green man. When the green man flashed up she stepped out but a car ran the red light. She was hit and died later that night in hospital.

It was a pretty dark time for me. Hunter was only two weeks old and I was struggling to get to grips with motherhood while grieving for my sister. Eventually it was Hunter that helped me get out of the dark hole. Focussing on him made it easier to come to terms with her death. But I'm not going to let her die this time.

I spend a couple of days coming up with a plan to keep Prim in the house. I decide if I'm going to stop her going out I will need to present her with an alternative for her study break. I hit the supermarket and buy a load of baking stuff before dumping it all in front of Prim.

"I'm making brownies. You're helping me," I say as I spread out all the ingredients.

Prim looks up from her textbook and licks her lips at the sight.

"I have been craving chocolate for the last hour. You must be a mind reader!" she says.

I smile at her and am thankful it's been so easy to convince her to stay. Prim quickly pushes the books to the side and comes to join me at the kitchen counter.

"You deserve chocolate after studying so hard. You don't even need to pass your exams to get into uni," I say.

"I know. But I have my pride. You know I take failing badly. Remember how upset I got when I only got nine out of ten for my spellings in primary school?" she says.

"That was quite an extreme reaction. You ruined your Harry Potter book with you tears," I say.

Prim and I share a laugh as we begin measuring out the ingredients. I turn to look at the clock on the wall and pray quickly for the time she was hit to pass.

I'm a little nervous as we make the brownies. Maybe keeping Prim in won't be enough. Maybe she is still meant to die but this time she'll drop dead with a brain aneurism or accidently stab herself with the knife.

But Prim doesn't notice my tension and laughs as we get chocolate all over our faces. I keep checking the clock and breathe a little easier once the brownies are in the oven and the time the car hit her has passed. I smile in relief when I see her bite into the brownies and moan in delight.

"Perfect! Just what I needed," she says as she wipes the chocolate off her lips.

I smile as I lean in for a hug.

"I'll do anything for you," I say as I hold her close.

Prim squeezes me back.

"A bit sentimental, but I like it," she says with a grin.

I laugh as we pull back and then eagerly reach for a brownie. I just want to enjoy my sister.

The next morning, I open one eye and take a peek at Prim in the bed opposite. I smile widely as I watch the rise and fall of her chest. I sigh in content and roll onto my back. My mind whizzes through all the experiences I will now get to have with my sister. I can take her on holiday and be bridesmaid at her wedding. I'll finally get to see her become a nurse and beam in pride at the thought of all the lives she can help. This is the start for her.

The next few weeks I spend more time with Prim than anyone else. We go hiking in the Pentlands and I even convince her to sign up to archery classes with me. Prim is absolutely useless at it but I surprise myself by hitting a bullseye in the first session. I brag about my achievement for the entire next week.

In revenge Prim takes me shopping for Madge's graduation party and I try not to moan when she prods every type of brush in my face to do my make-up.

"Gale's going tonight, isn't he?" Prim asks as she puts the finishing touches to my hair.

"I think so. Madge has been trying to convince him to wear a kilt," I reply.

"I do love a man in a kilt. Do you think Gale will go as a true Scotsman?" Prim says.

"No way. He didn't even like loose fitting boxers because he thought his dick was too free," I say.

Prim laughs as she finally puts down the hairbrush and stashes away her things. I get up to go the mirror to check my appearance and have to admit Prim has done a good job. After another moment Prim turns back to me.

"Are you worried he got up to anything when he went to Amsterdam a few weeks ago?" Prim asks.

I turn and pause before answering. Gale and I haven't seen much of each other since we broke-up. A couple of times we've been at the same pub but there has always been loads of other people there and we've never really talked. He recently went on a boys' holiday to Amsterdam and from what I've heard they all spent the entire trip either drunk or hungover.

"I can't really care if he did pull a girl over there. I'm not his girlfriend anymore so I can't get mad," I say.

"I think I would still be a bit annoyed if something happened so soon after we broke-up. Dalton and I still don't speak after he slept with another a girl a week after our break up," Prim says.

I shrug my shoulder in response. I think after witnessing my husband kiss my best friend, an ex-boyfriend hooking up with someone new just doesn't seem that bad. But I can't explain that to Prim.

"I think it depends on the circumstances. Gale and I had been drifting apart for a while so I guess it doesn't really feel like we only broke up a couple of months ago," I reply.

Prim nods her head and I tug on the end of her braid.

"You've got the house to yourself tonight. Are you sure you're not inviting someone round as soon as I leave?" I say with a cheeky smile.

"I couldn't be more single so the only men I'm inviting round are Ben and Jerry," she says. "I'm saving myself for all the hot uni guys I'm going to meet in a couple of months."

I laugh before leaning in for a kiss.

"Remember a lot of them only look attractive with beer googles on," I say.

Prim laughs.

"I'll try to remember that," she replies.

* * *

When I arrive at Madge's house there is a sign on the front door instructing guests to use the side gate to get to the back garden. Soft chatter and laughter floats through the gate and Madge smiles broadly as I enter. She rushes up to give me a hug.

"Happy Graduation! I can't believe we made it!" she exclaims.

"I know. Now we're proper adults," I say with a smile.

Madge laughs as she passes me a glass of champagne. I take it gratefully before surveying the rest of the garden. Madge had invited a mix of relatives and friends from both St Andrews and Edinburgh. Luckily the weather has held up and her dad stands by the large barbeque serving every hungry guest that comes his way. There is too much alcohol to count and The Black Eyed Peas song " _I've gotta feeling"_ can't really be heard over the many conversations that are being had.

I take another sip of my drink just as Rue and Thresh come up behind us. Rue leans in for hugs but Thresh isn't even looking in our direction.

"Thank you so much for hosting, Madge. This is a lot cheaper than the graduation ball," Rue says.

"It's my pleasure. I wanted something both my friends from St Andrews and Edinburgh could enjoy," she says.

I nod my head in agreement but Thresh has already spotted someone else he knows.

"I'm going to get a drink, babe," he says.

Rue doesn't even get a chance to reply before he walks away to find the source of alcohol. I watch him leave with a hard look. I know he is going to dump Rue in only a couple of days and she is still completely oblivious. I've just found no way to reasonably raise my doubts about him. But as I watch him go, not even looking back at Rue or offering to get her a drink, I wonder how I didn't see his disinterest the first time.

Rue gets a glass of champagne and we all cheers before taking a sip.

"That's good," Rue says with a sigh "I doubt I will be drinking anything like this on my travels next year. I'm literally scrimping for every penny right now."

"It's going to be an amazing trip!" Madge says. "But I'm going to miss you."

"Me too. But we'll send lots of pictures. Oh wait until I show you the car we've hired to ride through the states," she replies.

We all bend our heads together as we look at the red vintage car Rue has hired. She's so excited and I wish it could stay that way.

I stay and spend a few more moments talking about Rue's travels plans but I find it hard to be enthusiastic when I know what Thresh is going to do to her. I finish my glass of champagne and use the excuse of finding a top up as a reason to leave them both.

As I push my way through the crowd I spot Gale arriving. I quickly go to the drinks table and pick out his favourite beer before heading over to him.

I want to be friends with Gale in this life. Our relationship formed from a solid friendship and this Gale has done nothing to hurt me. It would be a shame to lose that friendship.

"I got you a beer," I say once I have approached him.

He looks a bit startled by my presence but smiles as he takes the beer off me.

"Thanks. I could always trust you to pick out my favourite," he says.

"One of the perks of being the ex-girlfriend I suppose," I say with a grin.

Gale laughs before taking a long sip of his drink.

"You look good tonight, Catnip. Green always suited you. I assume it's all Prim's work," he says.

"It was pay back for forcing her to go to archery class with me," I reply.

Gale raises his eyebrow in surprise.

"Archery? That's a pretty unusual hobby," he says.

"I was actually pretty good. You never know, I might become Olympic Champion," I reply with a smile. "Though I don't think Prim will be going back any time soon."

"I could go with you. Firing pointy things sounds like a good stress reliever and it might be a nice thing to do as friends," he says.

I smile as I realise he is on the same page as me.

"I'd like that. I miss being your friend," I say.

Gale nods his head.

"And I think we'll be much better friends that we were at being in a relationship," he says.

I laugh and the last of the residue awkwardness disappears. When Gale tells me about the internship he got at a big engineering company this summer, I'm proud of him but I don't feel any of the butterflies in my stomach as I speak to him. We're both fully ready to move on.

I end up drinking too much at Madge's party but even in my drunken state I can tell how standoffish Thresh is with Rue. When she leans up to kiss him, he turns his cheek and at the end of the night decides to go to the casino with the lads rather than take his drunk girlfriend home.

"I'll see you in the morning, babe. I love you!" Rue slurs as she tries to wrap her arms round him.

But Thresh just steps away meaning I have to rush forward to support Rue's weight.

"Just get in the taxi," Thresh says.

I frown at his harsh words but Rue just giggles as Gale helps bundle both of us in the car. He checks we're safe and waves before the taxi drives off while Thresh sets off for the casino. Rue ends up falling asleep with her head in my lap and doesn't hear from her boyrfriend for two days.

On the third day, when I get a text message from Rue, I know what is coming. My heart breaks as I open the message and see the words _Thresh broke up with me._ I had already bought ice-cream in preparation for this day and phone Madge immediately to arrange to go and console our friend. Within twenty minutes we are both standing at Rue's door and she bursts into tears as soon as she sees us. We engulf her in a hug and let her cry until her tears have run dry.

Eventually she invites us inside and I pop open the lid of the ice-cream as we sit to listen to her on the couch.

"I just wasn't expecting it. We've been together for six years. We talked about what our wedding would be like. We were supposed to go fucking travel together in two weeks," Rue says.

"I know. I thought you guys were the strongest couple I know," Madge consoles. "What reasons did he give for breaking things off?"

"He said that we were too young to be in such a serious relationship and he just needed to be free for a while. Can you believe he used the word free? Like I have been keeping him as some sort of prisoner! I thought he wanted the same things as I did," she replies.

I lean in to give her another hug as more tears come.

"He's an idiot. You're amazing and he's a fool not to see it," I say.

Rue sniffs as she pulls back.

"Did you guys notice anything off with him? I'm just trying to figure things out," she says.

"I honestly didn't notice anything. You both seemed so excited about your travels," Madge says.

Madge is wrong, I think. Rue was excited. Thresh didn't speak about it. But I was like Madge the first time round thinking nothing was wrong. It was only because I knew there was something to look for that I noticed. Rue then turns to me and I think carefully about how to put my next words.

"I did notice that he didn't spend a lot of time with you at Madge's graduation party. I thought he should have taken you home and not gone to the casino," I admit.

Rue sniffs again as she nods her head.

"Maybe I'm the idiot. Maybe he's been dropping signs for ages but I was too besotted to notice," she says.

"No. We always see the best in the people we love," I reassure.

Madge nods her head.

"You did nothing wrong. If he was having doubts he should have brought it up sooner," she says.

Rue sniffs and then there is a long pause. She looks so small and vulnerable in that moment and I want to wrap her in a hug and tell her that there is a better man coming. That's she's going to meet a man called Thom who is going to love her more than Thresh ever could. But I can't. She has to go through the heartbreak first.

"What am I going to do now? We were supposed to go traveling in two weeks. All that money has been saved for nothing," Rue says.

"Will you be able to get refunds on things?" Madge asks, while rubbing Rue's back.

Rue shrugs.

"We didn't book most things and I'm not sure about the stuff we booked in the states," she says.

"You should still go," I reply.

Madge and Rue looked at me, surprised. I have the benefit of hindsight and know Rue regrets not going on this trip. This could be another thing I change for the better in this life.

"I know it sounds scary but why couldn't you go by yourself? Stuff is already booked and you'll meet new people on the way. You can even check in with Madge and I everyday if it makes you feel safer," I say.

Rue looks to Madge and Madge takes a moment before answering.

"I think it would be a brave thing to do but it might be just what you need. Seeing the world could be the best way to get over a dickhead boyfriend," she says.

I nod my head eagerly.

"And it would be like putting two fingers up to Thresh and showing him that you don't need him to be happy," I add.

Rue looks between us and is silent for a long time. She chews on her bottom lip as she contemplates my suggestion.

"You really think I can do it?" she asks.

"Absolutely. We've already told you you're amazing," I say.

Rue smiles the first genuine smile since we got here.

"Then it looks like I'm going," she says.

Madge and I grin before squeezing her tight.

* * *

Madge and I spend the next two weeks helping Rue prepare every last detail. It works as a good distraction and by the time we drop her off at the airport I think she is more excited than sad about going.

"Stay safe. And remember to check in every day or we're calling the police," Madge says.

Rue smiles as we all embrace.

"Thank you, guys. I wouldn't have been able to do this without you," she says.

"We do it because we love you," I say with a smile.

Rue beams at us and we share one last hug. Madge and I hold onto each other as we watch her walk through security and I'm glad I've been able to do some more good in this life.

* * *

We hear from Rue every day and she sends us pictures as she travels across the fifty states in America in a red vintage car that she names Ruby. I pin the postcards she sends us on the fridge and am a little jealous of all she is experiencing.

But life is busy for me back in Edinburgh. Madge and I use our new Spanish skills on a trip in Barcelona and then Prim and I decide to finally move out of our mother's home and rent a flat of our own. We move in a couple of weeks after I start my job at Paylor Sustainability and just in time for Prim to start her nursing course at uni.

The job at Paylor's is everything I could hope for and I enjoy the relaxed vibe in the office. I come home every day excited about the things that are happening at work and think Prim is getting bored with all my talk about sustainability.

"And today Paylor finally sealed the deal with that company in Denmark which means we're going to be working closely with them. Copenhagen has big ambitions to be carbon neutral and Paylor said that there will be opportunities to go over there to observe their work," I say one evening in early October.

"Yeah?" Prims says as she taps on her phone.

"Yeah. I was thinking of even starting to learn Danish. I've enjoyed learning Spanish so much with Madge and it will really help if I ever get sent there," I add.

"Yeah," Prim says again.

"I'll look into it at the weekend. Are you still wanting to come to the comedy gig on Saturday or are you going out with uni friends?" I ask.

"Yeah," Prim replies.

I stop and stare at Prim confused.

"So which is it, coming or not coming?" I ask.

It takes Prim a moment to answer but she eventually looks up from her phone and looks confused.

"Sorry. What did you ask?" she says.

I smirk as I put the pieces together.

"Who are you texting, Prim?" I ask.

Prim flusters for a moment and I try not to laugh.

"Just someone I met on a night out," she says.

"A boy someone?" I ask, raising my eyebrow.

"Yes," she replies, looking down.

"What's his name and when did you meet him?" I ask.

"His name is Rye and I met him a couple of weeks ago at the Hive," she says reluctantly.

"Wait. Wasn't that the night you had the pulling competition with Bonnie?" I say.

Prim hangs her head shamefully.

"Yeah. That was the night," she says.

I laugh and shake my head. Prim and Bonnie decided to see who could kiss the most guys in one night during freshers week. I had no idea one left an impression.

"What number was he?" I ask.

"Number three and he doesn't know I kissed anyone else that night," Prim says.

"I see," I say with a smile.

Prim waits to see if I'm going to tease her about it but I'm actually kind of impressed she managed to meet a guy that way.

"He texted me the next day and he makes me laugh. I think I like him," she says.

"I only care that he treats you right," I reply. "Do you have a picture?"

Prim nods her head eagerly as she shows me his facebook page. I can tell by the animated way she speaks about the fact he's in the wrestling team and has a secret love for _Gossip Girl_ , that she really likes him. I have to admit he is good looking, with his floppy blonde hair and square jaw.

"Have you met him again yet?" I ask.

"I met him on Monday for coffee. He invited me out again this weekend," Prim says with a shy smile.

"I can't believe you have been keeping secrets from me," I say.

Prim rolls her eyes at me.

"I promise if we make it to date five you can meet him," she says.

I laugh before pulling her in and kissing the top of her head.

"You better let him know I'm pretty tough to impress," I say.

As it turns out I don't even have to wait to date five to meet Rye. After a daylong third date I wake up the next morning to find a shirtless blond man in our kitchen. I lean against the door frame as I watch him try to find the frying pan before I cough to make my presence known. The man startles at the noise and almost bangs his head on the cupboard. I laugh as I step into the kitchen and reach into a top cupboard to pull out what he is looking for.

"Here you go. You must be Rye," I say.

Rye raises a toned arm to ruffle his hair and gives me a cheeky grin.

"So Prim has been bragging about my good looks then," he replies.

I shrug my shoulder.

"You're not my type. I prefer them tall, dark and handsome," I say.

Rye grins back at me.

"It's nice to meet you, Rye. I'm Katniss," I say.

"Glad to meet you too. But I hear I need to watch out. Prim tells me that you do archery lessons," he says.

"I'm the best in the class. So if you appreciate your dick and balls I would treat my sister right," I reply.

Rye smiles broadly at me.

"I think we're all going to get along very well," he says.

Prim shuffles into the room a moment later wearing her pyjamas and smiles sheepishly at me. Rye opens his arms for her and she raises on her toes to give him a kiss before tucking into his side. I can't hide the grin on my face as I watch them together. I never got to see this side of Prim before.

"So as you can tell, the date went well," Prim says with a soft smile.

"Yeah. It was a good thing I bought ear plugs recently," I say.

Rye grins broadly as he gives Prim a squeeze.

"A gentleman always makes the woman comes first," he says with a cheeky wink.

Prim gently hits him in the side but I can tell from the slight wobble in her legs she doesn't mind one bit. I shake my head at them before turning to pick up my bag.

"I'm going to meet Madge for breakfast so you two have fun. And remember to wipe down anywhere you end up having sex," I say.

Rye laughs loudly and I give them one last smile before ducking out the house.

* * *

Rye becomes a regular presence in our flat over the next month and it's easy to see why Prim likes him so much. He may be two years older than her but he is a big kid at heart and makes her laugh all the time. If I wasn't so happy at the fact she was actually getting to experience feelings like this I might be a little nauseous over how smitten they are for each other. Most nights I can hear Prim talk late through the night on her phone to him.

By the end of October they are facebook official and decide to hold a joint Halloween party at our flat. The old Katniss would have been worried about holding such a big party at her flat but I am still trying to embrace life as much as possible and think it is the perfect excuse to get all my friends together for the first time in ages. And it turns out Rye's older brother is a chef and is willing to prepare all the food so I don't even need to cook.

Prim, Rye and I spend a long time turning the flat into a haunted lair. We hang fake cobwebs and carve at least a dozen pumpkins to help create the spooky atmosphere. Rye even manages to get his hands on a smoke machine and we change all the lightbulbs to green ones. But just as I am about to get changed into my costume I get an SOS message from Madge.

 _Help! My costume has split and I don't have time to get a new one. Can you come over and help me sew it? Xxx_

I shake my head as I read the message. Trust Madge to have a disaster that will make her late. She's not very practical and often has to call one of us to fix something. Having less money than her growing up I learned how to stitch together worn clothes all the time as we waited for enough money to buy new ones.

 _I'll be there in twenty minutes. X_

Madge sends me a smiley face in response and I let Prim and Rye know where I am going before heading out into the cold.

When I get there, Madge yanks the door back and looks relieved to see me.

"I'm so glad you're here. I was very close to stripping off the bed sheet and going as a ghost," she says.

I laugh as I make myself at home in her flat. I pull out the sewing kit as she hands me the cavewoman outfit she is planning to wear.

"This does mean I am going to be late for my own party," I say with a smile.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'll get you a glass of wine to make up for it," she says.

I nod my head as Madge trots off to the kitchen. She appears moments later with two glasses of red wine.

"Cheers," she says as she hands it to me.

I smile and take a long sip before turning my attention to the torn dress.

"How did it get torn in the first place?" I ask.

"It got caught on my heel as I was trying it on. I swear these things only happen to me," she says.

I nod my head in agreement as Madge takes another sip.

"Did you see the picture from Rue today? Argentina looks amazing," Madge says.

"I know. That sunset looked spectacular. I'm just so glad she's having a good time," I say.

"Yeah. She can do so much better than that wanker," Madge replies. "I hear he's had no problem spreading his wild oats around."

I nod my head in agreement.

"I miss her though. I really wish she could be here tonight," I say.

"She better not have made better friends than us on her travels," Madge says.

I laugh but think about all the pictures Rue has sent us with people she has met so far. One or two have even been of her and a sexy foreigner. I don't think she is lonely.

Madge sighs as she leans back on her hands and watches me work.

"Is Gale bringing his new girlfriend?" she asks.

"I don't think they've been dating long enough to be classified as boyfriend and girlfriend," I say.

In the last couple of weeks Gale has started dating this older woman, Cressida, he met in some charity thing his internship company where hosting. None of us have met her yet but apparently they have been going at it like rabbits.

"Does it bother you he has met someone else?" she asks.

"We broke up five months ago. I got over him a long time ago," I reply.

I may be fine with Gale and Cressida but Madge looks anything other. She knocks back the rest of her glass and I can tell she has a lot of thoughts on the matter.

"I just don't get it. What does a thirty year-old woman want with a twenty-two year old guy? She's going to want to settle down sooner rather than later and Gale is definitely not ready for marriage and that shit," she says.

I silently agree with her on that point. In my old life we had a kid and were engaged by this point and neither of us were ready for that. But Madge's tone makes me start to read more into her actions. She actually looks a little pissed off that he's with Cressida. She practically sneers when she mentions the woman's name. Almost like she is jealous.

The image of Gale and Madge kissing in my old hallway comes flying back into my brain. In my old life Gale admitted that his feelings for Madge were a recent thing but what if they weren't for Madge? What if she secretly harboured feelings for him for years?

The thought makes me uncomfortable and I focus back on my needle work to fix Madge's dress. I don't think she ever plotted to steal my husband off me but I don't like the thought she kept things from me.

She pours herself another glass of wine and shakes her head.

"It will never last," she concludes about Gale and Cressida. "He's only using her for sex."

I nod my head and Madge turns to me.

"How about you? Have you got any since the break-up?" she asks.

"I've been busy with the new flat and the new job," I reply.

"Five months is a long time though. Do you want me to set you up?" she asks.

I shake my head.

"I'm really okay with being single. I haven't been single for three years and I think I need to focus just on me for a change," I say.

Madge smiles at me.

"As long as you're happy," she says. "So you're not looking to hook up at this party tonight?"

"I'll leave that up to you," I reply with a smile.

* * *

I eventually fix the dress and drink more wine as Madge pulls it on and adds the finishing touches to her outfit. By the time she has deemed herself worthy for public appearance the party has already been going on for an hour. When we eventually arrive back at my flat there is already a good amount of people there. It doesn't slip my notice that Madge makes a beeline straight for Gale and her eyes light up when he reaches down to hug her.

I quickly duck into my room to change into my devil costume and to put on some red lipstick. My stomach rumbles as I place the devil's horns on my head and hope that Rye's brother has already set up the food.

I make a few greetings on my way through to the kitchen but my stomach has always been important to me so I don't stop to chat to anyone long. When I enter the kitchen, no one else is there and the food is all laid out for me to choose from.

I lick my lips at the sight of the mini-pumpkin pizzas and marvel at the mini-burgers that seem to be oozing blood. Even the blue pasta dish looks mouth-watering. I eagerly grab a plate and pile it high with food before taking my first bite.

"Oh my God!" I moan as the burger meat falls apart in my mouth.

"That's exactly the reaction I want when someone eats my food," a male voice suddenly says.

I snap my head up and try to discretely wipe the sauce off my mouth. I look up to find a slightly stockier version of Rye. He's all blond hair, blue eyes and warm smiles. I gulp down the rest of the food and put my plate down.

"Everyone who knows me, knows food is the quickest way to my heart. And this is exactly my type of food. All carbs," I reply.

"That's a great answer. Carbs are one of my favourite things about food," he says.

"There are very few things that make me feel as happy as carbs," I say.

"I totally know what you mean. It's one of the reasons I love Italian food. All those carbs and sauces and perfect seasoning. I remember the first time I realised I wanted to be a chef was on a family holiday in Tuscany when I was ten. There was this shop just down from our villa that made fresh pasta in the window every day. It was a little sad but I used to go and just stand outside watching them make it for almost hour," he replies.

"You're right. That is sad," I chuckle.

The blond man grins broadly at me.

"I swear it is better than watching those Irish twins with ridiculous hair on X Factor!" he exclaims. I laugh before he speaks again. "My dream is to spend a year in Italy just learning how to cook their food. I'll probably come back two stone heavier but I bet I'm happy!"

"That sounds amazing. Can I come in your suitcase?" I ask.

The man chuckles again and my cheeks begin to hurt from smiling so much. It's been a while since I've gotten on so well with a new person.

"All this talk of food has made me a bad hostess and I've not introduced myself. I'm Katniss and I'm guessing your Rye's brother," I say.

"Yep. I'm Peeta, the less athletic brother with a worse sense of fashion," he introduces himself.

"I don't know. I quite like this Sweeney Todd look you've got going on," I tease.

Peeta laughs as he looks down at his costume.

"At least I don't look like Rye tonight. I've never seen anything as ridiculous at that taco costume he's wearing," he says.

"It will be remembered for years," I laugh. "It must be annoying to be told all the time you and Rye look alike. Prim and I don't have that problem."

"I don't know. You both have the same angelic shaped face," Peeta replies.

"I'm far from angelic. Why do you think I'm wearing these?" I say, pointing to my devil's horns.

"I see now. You're here to tempt me to the dark side," he says.

"Yep. And I'm going to start by tempting you to eat all this food with me," I say with a grin.

"That's not going to be hard to do," Peeta says.

He then steps closer to the table of food and I hold out a mini pumpkin pizza for him. Peeta leans down and takes a bite of it right out of my hand. His lips gently brush my fingers and I feel a strange flutter. Peeta holds my eye as he pulls back up and licks his lips.

But then a blonde figure I don't recognise appears in the doorway and her eyes zone in on Peeta.

"I should have guessed you'd be with your food," the girl says.

Peeta turns to her and she goes up to him. She's dressed in a white toga and her bouncy curls are kept in place with a gold hair band.

"I just met Prim and think she's great! She's just what Rye needs. Down to earth and hopefully will keep him grounded," the girl says.

"I can't believe he actually managed to get a girl as great as Prim," Peeta replies.

I smile in pride as I hear them talk about Prim and then Peeta turns to me.

"And I've just met Prim's sister. This is Katniss," he says.

The girl turns to me with a bright smile.

"Hi! Nice to meet you!" she says brightly. "I'm Delly. Peeta's girlfriend."

* * *

 **A/N: I know, I know! I finally introduce Peeta but he has a girlfriend! But don't worry, Delly isn't going to be much of an issue and I still think Katniss needs some time to be single before she jumps into anything.**

 **Thanks to everyone who has followed/favourited/reviewed so far.**


	4. Chapter 4: June 2010

**A/N: I'm so glad lots of you are enjoying the story so far. Time is going to pass quite quickly in this story as I have almost 10 years to cover and there will be some big time jumps between some of the chapters. This one takes place about 8 months after the end of the last one. Hope you continue to enjoy.**

* * *

Chapter 4

 _June 2010_

I focus my eyes on the target and draw my bow back. I take one short breath before firing the arrow through the air. The arrow soars and lands smack bang in the middle of the bullseye. I raise my arms in triumph and Gale groans from beside me.

"One of these days I'm going to beat you," he grumbles.

I grin broadly and do a silly victory dance around him. Gale rolls his eyes and puts down his bow.

"And there is such a thing as being a humble winner," he adds.

I stop my dance and raise my eyebrow at him.

"Says the man who still boasts about how he climbed Ben Nevis in an hour quicker than me," I reply.

Gale chuckles as we both turn to leave the archery centre.

"The fact we are both competitive was one of the problems in our relationship," he says.

I nod my head in agreement.

"We're definitely better as friends," I agree.

We share a smile before we hand our archery equipment back to the girl at the desk and walk out the building.

The fact I have been able to stay friends with Gale has been one of the positives in this new life. It's been a busy year since we broke up with my work and his masters and sometimes we go a couple of months without seeing each other but it's always easy when we get back in touch. I haven't completely forgot what he was like in our previous life but I can admit now that we were both at fault in that life. Sometimes it hurts to look at him because he reminds me so much Hunter. I may be enjoying my life and my new found freedom but there are times I admit to myself that I miss my son. Whenever I'm around Gale I remember that.

However, Gale is the only one of my friends that has taken a liking to archery as well. When we are both stressed with work it's great to have a buddy to fire pointy objects with.

We stroll out into the typical grey summer's day and head towards my recently purchased second hand car.

"Did you hear back from that job yet?" I ask.

Gale's face breaks into a grin as we slide into the car.

"I heard yesterday morning. They're offering me a permanent position in the firm," he says proudly. "I start in September after I've completed my masters."

I smile back at him, genuinely pleased for him. He's worked so hard this year to complete his masters and intern for the biggest structural engineering company in Edinburgh. The company have been so pleased with his work that they offered him an interview last week. With jobs for new grads still thin on the ground and the uncertainty in the country after the recent formation of a conservative/lib dem coalition government, getting a job of that standard is impressive. He's finally getting a chance to succeed in a job he truly loves.

"Congratulations! Drinks on me the next time we're out together," I say.

"I'm not going to say no to free beers," he says.

"I'll make sure to bring my purse," I reply.

We grin at each other as I start the car and drive off. There is a moment of silence before Gale speaks again.

"What's happening with your job? Madge said you got a promotion and are off to Copenhagen," he asks.

"Yeah. I'm off to Demark in a couple of weeks to shadow their team over there. They've got a lot of big ideas and I'm excited to finally try out my Danish," I reply.

"I still can't believe you speak Danish and Spanish now. You used to struggle with the pronunciation on an Italian menu," he chuckles.

"I'm a very cultured and well-rounded person," I say.

Gale laughs again.

"You certainly have been embracing lots of new experiences recently. Madge says she is struggling to keep up with you" he says.

"I don't want to miss out on anything. Life is too short to have regrets," I reply.

"I totally agree with you," he says.

We share a smile and spend the rest of the journey talking about our latest TV show obsession, _Breaking Bad_. It's all very relaxed as I pull up outside Gale's flat.

"So I'll see you at Rue's welcome home party on Saturday," he says.

I raise my eyebrow at him.

"You mean Cressida is actually letting you out?" I tease.

Gale rolls his eyes. Against Madge's prediction, Gale and Cressida are still together all these months later. I've met her a couple of times now and always got the impression she is unimpressed with our supposed immaturity. But she seems to be making Gale happy and I'm not one to judge other people's relationships.

"I don't need her permission to go out," Gale responds.

"No. But she calls and you go running," I reply with a smile.

Gale shakes his head.

"I don't reply every time she texts me," he says.

I laugh.

"I'm just teasing. Do whatever makes you happy. I think we're both in a place now where we want that for each other," I say.

Gale smiles gratefully.

"Thanks. And I agree. I would offer to set you up but I think that is a step too far for an ex-boyfriend," he replies.

"Probably. There are still some boundaries," I laugh.

We share another grin and then Gale reaches for the door handle of the car.

"See you Saturday, Catnip," he says.

I nod my head as he gets out the car. Once he's out he ducks down to look at me through the open door.

"And I'm not going to forget that drink you promised me," he says with a grin.

I laugh and say one more goodbye before Gale turns to leave. I turn the keys in the ignition and drive off back home.

When I push open the door to my flat I hear the sizzling of the frying pan and smell fresh spices wafting from the kitchen. My stomach grumbles as I follow my nose to the kitchen.

I find Prim and Rye standing side by side at the counter and Prim has an exasperated look on her face.

"How many times do I have to show you how to cut an onion? Every single time you do it wrong!" she exclaims.

"Have you ever thought that maybe you're the one that is cutting it wrong?" Rye counters.

"Everyone else cuts it the same way as me, Rye. Even your brother, who is a professional chef, agrees with me," Prim replies.

"Then why do you keep giving me the job to cut the onion if I keep doing it wrong?" Rye asks.

"Because you'll never learn otherwise!" Prim says.

I laugh and shake my head as I enter further into the kitchen.

"Is Rye still cutting the onion in a cube shape?" I ask.

Prim lets out a sigh as she puts down her own knife and turns to me.

"I think he continues to do it to annoy me," she says.

Rye grins as he pulls her towards him and places a kiss on her temple.

"Our sex is always best after we have just had an argument," he says.

I roll my eyes. Rye and Prim have been dating for nine months and they are definitely one of those couples that seem to bicker all the time. But it does seem to weirdly turn them on.

"I'm not sure that's a good reason for having arguments," Prim replies.

Rye shrugs his shoulders and then swoops down to place a kiss on her lips. It doesn't take long for Prim to melt into him.

I clear my throat to remind them I'm still there and they pull back with soft smiles on their faces.

"Are you making enough for me?" I ask.

"Always. I know what you're like when you've not been fed," Rye replies.

I scowl at him but then my phones buzzes and I look down to see that it is a message from Peeta. I smile as I go to open it but then raise my eyebrows in surprise.

"Oh shit! Peeta broke up with Delly," I say.

Rye snaps his attention to me and then frowns.

"Why didn't he text me?" he says, a little put out.

"Probably because he knows my advice won't be to get drunk and go to a strip club," I reply.

"Hey!" Rye exclaims. "I'm a happily loved up man. I would never suggest a strip club. The casino on the other hand is a perfectly viable option."

Both Prim and I roll our eyes. Peeta and I have become pretty good friends over these last eight months. Peeta and Rye live together and because Prim and Rye spend so much time together it means we hang out a lot together too. We have a lot in common, from our love of food to our taste in TV shows. And with his easy-going nature and self-deprecating sense of humour, it's been easy to become his friend.

"It's not like we didn't see it coming. They've been drifting apart for months," Prim says.

I nod my head in agreement. Delly and Peeta spent the first three years of their relationship doing the long-distance thing. When Peeta finally moved back to Edinburgh after cooking school, they found the reality of being together full time difficult.

"I'll invite him round to join us for the curry. I think we're the best people to cheer him up," I say.

"Good idea. And Rye might have actually cut the onion properly by then," Prim replies.

Rye rolls his eyes but we all turn to prepare for Peeta's arrival. I grab some beers and store them in the fridge before digging in the cupboard to find some comfort food.

It doesn't take long for Peeta to arrive and he steps into my hug as soon as he gets through the door.

"How are you feeling?" I ask when we pull apart.

"I'm not sure. Part of me is sad but on the other part is relieved," he replies.

I nod my head and Rye comes through to hand his brother a cold beer.

"Don't be down, big brother. Delly had great tits but the girl thought the Bermuda triangle was a type of triangle," he says.

"You didn't need to mention her tits. That wasn't the thing that made her great," Prim scolds as we all take a seat in the living room.

Rye shrugs his shoulder but my attention is firmly on the other Mellark in the room.

"And Rye wonders why you didn't text him," I say.

Peeta smiles at me before he takes a sip of beer. He lets out a sigh as he brings the bottle away from his lips and sinks further into the sofa.

"I always knew she was lacking knowledge in certain areas but I used to actually like her little blonde moments. But when I was living them every day it got a bit grating," he says.

"Relationships are always going to be different when living situations change," I say.

Peeta nods his head.

"They do say absence makes the heart grow fonder. Once we were living in the same city we just both annoyed each other," he replies. "It was only after I moved back that I realised her desperate need to document every day of our life through facebook. We couldn't even lie in bed without her taking a picture."

"You made the right decision. There's no point clinging onto something that has stopped feeling right," I say.

Peeta sighs as he leans his head back against the sofa.

"I know. I just suck at being single," he replies.

"Whenever I feel down I tell myself to hold my head up high and reach the top. Let the world see what I have got and bring it all back to me," I reply.

Peeta turns to me a grin.

"Are you quoting me S Club 7 lyrics?" he says.

"I will have you know that _Bring it all Back_ has got me through some tough times," I say with a smile. "Let me just find it on my ipod."

Peeta chuckles and I jump off the sofa to fiddle with my ipod. Seconds later the cheesy 90s song starts blaring out the sound system. I offer Peeta my hand and drag him to his feet.

"The song works best when you sing it as loud as you can," I declare.

Peeta chuckles as I start singing along with the upbeat song and force Peeta to dance around the living room. It takes him a moment to join in fully but soon we are both shaking our hips wildly and he's singing at the top of his voice. He spins me out and then I twirl under his hand. Prim and Rye cover their ears at the sound we are making but I don't care. Peeta doesn't look right without a smile on his face and I need to fix that.

We finish we a flourish as Peeta dips me back so my hair sweeps the ground and we're both laughing when he pulls me back up.

"I'm not going to doubt you again," he says as he looks in my eyes. "That was the perfect song to cheer me up."

"I keep telling you I am the brains in this group. We only keep you around to feed us," I say with a grin.

Peeta laughs as he sweeps a strand of hair that has fallen from my braid.

"I knew you were taking advantage of me," he replies.

Prim rolls her eyes.

"Thank God that ended. I feel like I was watching one of those comically bad dances on _Strictly Come Dancing,_ " she says.

Peeta squeezes my hand before turning to Prim with a grin.

"You're just jealous of our moves," he says

Rye shakes his head.

"That is the first time I have not looked up to my big brother," he says.

We all laugh as Peeta and I take our seats again.

"Then I have been failing in my role as big brother. It's my duty to make you feel embarrassed," he says.

There is more laughter and Peeta turns to catch my eye. He reaches out for my hand and gives it a quick squeeze to say thanks.

* * *

I continue to message Peeta over the next two days as he tries to come to terms with single life again. I've now been single for over a year and have a wide range of advice for him including how to make the most of a double bed to yourself and the best meals to cook for one.

But by the Thursday my attentions turn away from Peeta as Rue finally returns from her travels. Madge and I meet up after work and buy balloons before we head round to Rue's family home.

"Welcome back!" Madge and I exclaim as soon as Rue opens the door.

Madge pops some streamers and I present the balloons and some cake to Rue. Rue laughs as she lets us in and we all share an embrace once I have let go of the balloons.

She looks different from the girl that left. Her skin is obviously darker and she has chopped her dark curls close to her head. But it is the air of confidence that now seems to hang off her that is the biggest difference.

"I can't believe I'm back," Rue says. "Though typical of Edinburgh for it to be raining when I landed."

"You missed the rain really. And the fact it can be four seasons in one day," Madge replies.

Rue smiles and shakes her head.

"I did miss you guys though. I've got so much to tell you," she says.

We all share a smile and then Rue's mum comes to take the balloons and cake away. We follow Rue through to the living room where some of her younger brothers are play wrestling on the floor. Rue turns to them with her hands on her hips.

"There's cake in the kitchen. If you leave now I'll let you eat it all," Rue says.

The two boys stop fighting immediately and jump to attention.

"It better not be carrot cake," the elder one says.

Rue rolls her eyes but her two brothers are already rushing out the room to grab a slice. Once they're gone Rue turns to smile at us again and we all take a seat.

"Tell us everything," I say.

"I don't even know where to start," Rue says.

"Start with your favourite place. You must have the most stories from there," Madge suggests.

"I think it has to be Ghana. I don't know if it's because my family comes from there but as soon as I stepped off the plane it felt like home," she says.

"That's cool," I reply.

Rue nods her head.

"I spent most of the time building a school out there. I can't even describe how rewarding that was. To know that I've left behind something that is going to change lives of children. Their enthusiasm for school was infectious. I wish you could have seen the excitement when I gave them all pencils and notepads," Rue says.

"That sounds amazing. They must have been sad for you to go," Madge says.

Rue nods her head.

"It was the only place I considered not leaving. I just felt part of something there," she says.

Madge and I nod our heads.

"But it did make me realise something while I was there. I want to teach. I'm already looking into doing the post grad in primary teaching here," she says.

My face lights up when I hear her words. Back in my old life Rue was a primary teacher but she didn't train to be one until a couple of years later. The recession meant she found it difficult to get a job after first graduating and worked as a manager in a restaurant for a couple years. It was only when she realised that her career was going nowhere that she decided to give teaching a chance. Rue is an amazing teacher and I'm so glad she is going to train to be one sooner.

"That's fantastic! It seems the perfect job for you," I say.

Madge nods her head in agreement and Rue grins in excitement.

"You guys were right. The trip was the best thing I could have done," she says.

We all smile again and then Rue launches into more stories about her travels. We laugh about how she got chased by an alpaca in Peru and marvel at her bravery for sky diving in New Zealand. There are tales of skinny dipping in coves in Greece and canoeing down rivers in Cambodia. She slept on beaches in Thailand and next to couples having sex in youth hostels. She made proper sushi in Japan and ate crickets in the Amazon. It sounds like one hell of a trip.

"What about boys? Did you meet anyone interesting?" Madge asks.

Rue smiles coyly.

"There were a few romantic interests. Including an Italian man who couldn't speak a word of English. He made me wet by just opening his mouth," Rue replies.

"As long as he used that mouth for other things than speaking," I say suggestively.

Rue barks out a laugh and Madge grins.

"His tongue was very talented too. But I didn't want anything serious. That's why traveling is the perfect thing. In a few days you leave and never see them again," she says.

I smile and look for any hints that she still misses Thresh. But there is no sadness hidden there. She's put that dick firmly behind her.

"What about you two? Are we all single?" Rue asks.

"Katniss and I went speed dating last week but it wasn't exactly a good pick of men," Madge replies.

"I don't know. What about the farmer who hadn't taken a day off in four years and could only talk about cows? Or the guy that spent the entire ten minutes talking about how his ex was going to call him any minute to take him back?" I say with a grin.

Madge groans as she leans further back into the sofa.

"You forgot about the guy that said fuck in every single sentence," she replies.

"Maybe I shouldn't have come back. Edinburgh men don't sound appealing," Rue says.

Madge nods her head in agreement.

"I'm just so sick of boring first dates. They are all the same. It's always dinner or drinks and polite small talk. There's not one person I have been on a date in the last year that has excited me enough for a second date," Madge moans.

"Maybe you're being too picky," I say.

Madge sighs and shrugs her shoulders.

"I probably am. But you don't have to worry about it anymore. Not now that Peeta's single," Madge says with a cheeky glint in her eye.

I knit my eyebrows into a frown and Rue raises her eyebrow in intrigue.

"Who's Peeta?" Rue asks.

I throw Madge a scowl, annoyed she's implying something that just isn't true.

"He's the brother of Prim's boyfriend. And we're friends," I say, emphasising the last word.

Madge rolls her eyes.

"Yeah. Friends that flirt," she teases.

"That's not true. He had a girlfriend until two days ago," I say.

"You didn't flirt when Delly was there but you were always finding ways to touch each other when she wasn't around. Plus he brings you food every time you see each other. I know neither of you thought it was serious but I kind of always thought you guys would be a good couple ," Madge says.

"Anyone who knows me knows how much I love food. And he just brings me leftovers from the restaurant," I argue.

"It's not always from the restaurant. Remember the time he made you that amazing chicken soup when you were ill?" Madge counters.

"Peeta is just kind. He would do that for any of his friends," I say.

"Does he ever bring Rye chicken soup?" Madge asks.

She's got me there. Only a couple of weeks Rye got a really bad cold and Prim had to nurse him back to health. But Peeta didn't bring round any get well soon food.

I duck my head and I don't reply. I don't like what Madge is implying. Peeta is my friend and that's it. I don't want to see him as anything else.

"Is he hot?" Rue pipes up.

Madge nods her head.

"Very genetically blessed. I think you're a fool for not going there," she says.

I let out a loud sigh as I bring my head back up to look at them.

"I don't want a boyfriend right now. I'm doing so well at my job and I don't want the distraction. I've enjoyed being able to do what I want when I want this last year. I'm not ready to give that up yet," I say.

Madge nods her head in understanding.

"I get that. But don't rule out a relationship completely. Guys like Peeta Mellark don't stay single forever," she says.

* * *

I try to ignore Madge's comments for the rest of the week. In my old life I spent my entire twenties tied down to a man and I'm achieving so much more now that I am single. There is plenty of time for relationships in a few years' time.

By Saturday night I'm not thinking about Peeta and getting ready for Rue's welcome home party. I invite her round to the flat for a few pre-drinks and pour her a glass of wine as Prim and Rye get ready behind us.

"So that's Peeta's brother?" Rue says after we have clinked glasses together.

I nod my head as I take a sip.

"Well if he looks anything like him, I totally agree with Madge," she says.

I roll my eyes.

"Not you too," I say.

Rue grins.

"I'm just looking out for you. Gale's moved on," she says.

"I'm not replying to that," I say.

Rue laughs but then goes quiet.

"Thresh texted me this morning," she says.

Anger flares up inside me.

"He couldn't just leave you be," I say.

Rue shakes his head.

"It was all soppy about how he missed me and regrets not coming on the trip. He said I was the only girl he would ever love," she says.

"Bullshit!" I exclaim. "He's just jealous that you actually did it and moved on. Please tell me you told him to fuck off?" I say.

Rue smiles.

"I put it a little bit nicer. I don't need him in my life. While travelling I realised there are so many better people out there," she says.

I grin back at her and raise my glass towards her.

"Let's cheers to that," I say.

We smile as we clink our glasses together and then take a sip of our drink. Just then Rye appears from Prim's bedroom and shouts through to her in the bathroom.

"Babe, where's my checked shirt?" he asks.

"I put it in the wash," Prim calls back.

Rye immediately huffs and runs his hand through his hair.

"Why did you do that? I was going to wear it tonight," he says.

Prim appears in the doorway of the bathroom holding a make-up brush and looks crossly at her boyfriend.

"Because it was lying on my floor for four days. How was I supposed to know you wanted to wear it tonight?" she says.

"If I wanted it washed I would have asked you!" Rye exclaims.

"You don't mind when I wash your dirty boxers without asking! I'm not a mind reader, Rye!" Prim declares.

"Then next time ask!" he says. "What am I going to wear now!"

"You have so many shirts here. Wear one of them," Prim says.

"But none of them fit the vibe of the pub!" Rye replies.

"Then go topless for all I care. You are being overdramatic!" Prim says.

"Maybe I will go shirtless. Then I might actually attract a girlfriend who doesn't wash my shirts without asking!" Rye exclaims.

"Fine. But she won't give you as good head as I do and you know it," Prim replies.

Rye lets out a frustrated groan as Prim walks back into the bathroom to finish her make-up. Rue turns to me with a raised eyebrow.

"Are they always like that?" she asks.

"Yes," I reply. "But they'll be dry humping in half an hour so don't worry too much."

* * *

Rye does actually manage to find a shirt to his liking and goes to apologise to my sister. It only takes a few kisses for the argument to be forgotten and we head out to the pub where the party is being held. When we arrive I'm pleasantly surprised to find Madge already there with Gale. I pretend to look at my watch as I approach her.

"Just checked the time. You're actually here on time," I say.

Gale laughs as he turns to look at me.

"I suggested we share a taxi together so she had to be ready when I went to pick her up," he says.

"I don't know why you all complain. I always turn up," Madge replies with a grin.

We all laugh and Gale turns to head to the bar.

"Welcome back, Rue. I think it's time to get the drinks in," he says. "And don't think I've forgotten your promise to buy me a drink, Catnip."

I shake my head.

"You can't remember your own mum's birthday but you don't forget an offer of free beer," I say.

There's more laughter as we make our way nearer the bar.

Rue has a great time seeing all our friends again and keeps everyone amused with her adventures. Gale and Madge team up to challenge Rue and I to a game of pool and it's made even more fun by the opposing team having to take a drink every time a ball is potted. Everyone leaves their stresses behind and it's the most relaxed night we've had in ages.

Peeta's working at the restaurant tonight so doesn't make it until after mid-night. He texts me when he's on his way and I buy him a beer so it's ready for him as soon as he walks in. When he finally does we both grin broadly at each other.

"I got you a beer already," I say as I hand it to him.

"And my favourite. You're too good to me," he says.

"I rate myself highly as a friend," I reply.

Peeta laughs before taking a sip and then digging into his bag to pull out a carton of food.

"Leftover lamb stew from the restaurant," he says. "I can be a good friend too."

My stomach rumbles as I lift the lid and inhale the sweet smell. I let out a sigh of content as I shut the lid and place it next to the pile of coats we have in the corner.

"Thank you! I think you're one of my favourite people," I say.

Peeta raises his eyebrow.

"Only one of your favourites? Why am I not number one?" he asks.

I laugh but someone tries to walk past us and ends up knocking me. I stumble towards Peeta and he laces his fingers through mine to help steady me. I feel a little jolt and give his hand a squeeze in thanks as I straighten back up. Peeta smiles warmly at me as I get ready to answer his question.

"A few more compliments thrown my way would help," I tease. "Oh and your jokes need to get better."

"I don't know what you are saying. My jokes are amazing. I won the school talent show with my jokes in Primary 6. What is brown and sticky? A stick, is a classic," he replies.

"Exactly. Your jokes have not changed since you were ten," I say.

Peeta grins and shakes his head at me before bringing our joined hands up and twisting my finger back.

"Ow! That hurts!" I exclaim.

Peeta just grins at me as he lowers his face nearer to mine.

"I'll stop when you say my jokes are funny," he says.

His nose is just in front of mine and this close I can see tiny flecks of purple in his otherwise clear blue eyes. My heart beats faster as his smell of spices from the kitchen invade my nostrils.

I shake my head.

"Nope. Torture isn't going to work on me," I reply as I hold his stare.

Peeta laughs and then bends my finger back further. I let out a yelp of pain and Peeta looks at me expectedly.

"Okay, okay. Your jokes are funny. You are the funniest person I know," I concede.

Peeta grins as he releases my finger and then brings it up to give it a kiss.

"I knew you were clever enough to see sense," he says.

I sigh and shake my head but can't stop the smile that spreads across my face. Rue then comes up and looks Peeta up and down.

"You must be Peeta. Katniss has told me a lot about you. I'm Rue," she says.

Peeta turns away from me to shake Rue's hand.

"Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you too. Katniss has been counting down the days until you got back," he says.

"I am very missable," Rue replies. "Hopefully we'll get to know each other better so you understand that as well."

"I look forward to it," Peeta says. "But right now, I really must go to the toilet."

I smile at him and he smiles back before giving my waist a little squeeze and then heading in the direction of the toilet. I feel the heat of his fingers long after he has left.

When I look at Rue she is grinning broadly at me.

"I've just spent the last ten minutes watching you two together. If that's not flirting, I don't know what is," she says.


	5. Chapter 5: December 2010

Chapter 5

 _December 2010_

The church hall is already full of people and the ceilidh band is in full swing. Twinkly fairy lights hang from every available service and are twirled around pillars. Holly and red flowers line the windows and there is the distinct smell of mulled wine in the room. A large projector has been set up at the end of the hall so that BBC Scotland's New Year coverage can play throughout the night and it means we can see the fireworks when the bells go.

There is already a jovial atmosphere as everyone gathers together, excited for the new year ahead. 2011 will be the year that introduces us to _Game of Thrones_ and say goodbye to the _Harry Potter_ films. One Direction will rise to domination and the UK government will begin to stabilise. But no one else in the room knows this yet.

Smitten couples and old friends fling each other around the dance floor as a member of the band calls out the Scottish dances. Rue and I dance together and laugh whenever we get the steps wrong. At one point we spin in the wrong direction and bang into a couple who is taking the dancing way too seriously. The couple scowl and grumble that we shouldn't get up and dance if we don't know all the steps. Rue and I apologise but struggle to hold our laughter as we try to pick up the music again.

"It's just a military two step at a low budget Hogmanay ceilidh. We're not being judged on _Strictly Come Dancing_ ," Rue says to me.

"I think our version of the dance is better anyway," I laugh.

Rue laughs too but we only get to complete the set of steps one more time before the ceilidh band finishes with a flourish. Rue and I grin at each other and clap the band. Rye and Prim were dancing on the opposite side of the circle and only stop to give each other a lingering kiss. I smile at the sight before turning back to Rue.

"I need a drink after that. Ceilidh dancing is exhausting," I say.

"Just wait until we do Strip the Willow. Last time I got a bit of motion sickness from all the spinning," Rue says.

I laugh and we both move away from the dance floor to find some refreshment. We grab a beer and are about to take a seat when we see Gale and Cressida walk through the door. Rue and I smile brightly and wave at them. Gale returns our smile and wave but Cressida looks like there is a bad smell under her nose. Rue sighs when she sees Gale's girlfriend.

"How long do you bet it is before she slags off our choice of venue? She always makes me feel like an idiotic child," Rue says.

I nod my head in agreement but I find it hard to be critical of Gale's girlfriend without sounding like a bitter ex. But the truth is that tension has been rising between Cressida and Gale's friends. It comes across as if she thinks we are below her.

"Hi!" I say cheerily as I go in for a hug.

Gale returns it and Cressida clicks her tongue. I ignore her gesture and turn to her with a smile.

"I'm so glad you decided to come, Cressida. The ceilidh band is really good," I say.

"This wouldn't have been my choice," she replies.

I try to keep the smile on my face but Gale huffs and stuffs his hands in his pockets.

"We always do things with your friends. I'm not asking you much to spend one night with my friends," he says.

"Excuse me for trying to bring more sophistication into your life," Cressida replies.

I force myself to take a deep breath to avoid saying something that will ignite the situation further but Rue isn't so successful.

"Just because we aren't in our thirties doesn't mean that we can't be sophisticated," Rue says, her eyes flaming with indignation.

Cressida looks down her nose as she replies to Rue.

"Of course. Because this party is the pinnacle of sophistication," she says sarcastically.

"Maybe not. But it's much more fun than a boring dinner party that ends just after midnight," I reply.

Cressida raises her eyebrow and then turns to Gale for back-up. But he's not having it.

"Why don't you spend the night sulking at the bar? I'm going to ask Katniss and Rue to dance," he says.

Cressida's nostrils flair and she stares intently at Gale to try and get him to change his mind. But he doesn't budge. Eventually she gives up and turns to leave.

"Fine. Play with your little friends," she says. "I hope this place has decent gin."

And with that she storms in the direction of the drinks table. I shake my head as she leaves and Gale hangs his head.

"I'm sorry about that. She spent the whole time moaning about you guys in the taxi. I'm just so fed up with her," he says.

Rue nods her head.

"I just feel so patronised whenever she speaks to me. She views us like we are beneth her," she says.

Gale nods his head.

"It just annoys me that she doesn't make any effort with you all. I make the effort with her friends. Relationships are supposed to be a two-way thing but I feel like I am the only one that makes compromises," he sighs.

"Relationships should be based on equals," I agree.

Gale sighs again and then looks towards his girlfriend. She seems to have found some gin but surveys the hall with a look of disgust.

Our conversation is interrupted though by Madge bounding her way towards us. She pulls along a well-built man with neat blonde hair and only lets go of his hand to give Rue and I both a hug.

"Happy New Year!" she exclaims. "Sorry I'm late."

Rue and I share a grin but Madge doesn't notice because she has already turned her attention back to the blond man and looks at him with a mischievous smile.

"We got a little distracted," she adds.

The blond man grins and dips down to give her a kiss while Madge caresses his chest. Gale gets huffy again and curls his hands in his pockets as he lets out a loud cough. The cough forces Madge and the man to pull apart but they are both grinning as Madge leans back against his chest and he places another kiss on her temple.

"I don't believe we've met," Gale says stiffly. "I'm Gale."

"It's good to finally meet you. Cato," the man introduces himself with a bright smile.

He sticks out his hand for Gale to shake and Gale seems to grip onto it with a bit more force than usual. Cato is someone who Madge didn't meet in my first life. She met him this time because I dragged her to a photography class and Cato was in the class too. None of our photos were great but Madge left with Cato's number by the end of the evening. They've been dating for the last six weeks and so far he seems a genuinely nice guy.

"Cato supports Hearts too, Gale. I think Cato will be glad to talk to someone that actually understands football," Madge says.

"I'm definitely looking for someone who doesn't pick their favourite player based on their haircut," Cato teases Madge.

They both grin and Cato squeezes her waist. Gale's eyes become focused on where Cato's hand stays on Madge's waist.

"Was the football date any good?" I ask Madge.

"I was impressed that she understood the offside rule so quickly," Cato says with a smile.

"The atmosphere was good but it's way too cold right now to sit in an open stadium for ninety minutes," Madge adds.

I laugh but Gale still hasn't removed his gaze from the hand on Madge's waist.

"Do you want a drink or have a dance first?" Cato asks Madge.

"Dance," Madge says with a grin. "Anyone joining us?"

"Bristel promised he would dance the Gay Gordons with me. Let me just go and find him," Rue says.

Madge nods her head and then the three of the them turn to head towards the dance floor. Rue finds Bristel and Cato sweeps Madge in his arms just as the music for the Gay Gordons starts. Gale keeps his eyes on her the entire time.

"I'm not sure about this guy. What do we even know about him?" Gale asks.

"He's an accountant that lives in Bruntsfield and loves football just like you. And he's treating Madge right. That's all that matters at this point," I reply.

Gale exhales loudly and shakes his head.

"She never returns my texts now. I'm worried he's going to cut her off from her friends," he says.

"We have to accept that when a friend starts dating someone new we see them less. But Cato was the one that wanted to come and meet everyone tonight. I don't think he would stop Madge seeing her friends," I say.

Gale grunts but as we watch them we see Cato joke with Bristel and Rue as he and Madge almost step on their toes. I almost say that Cato is already making more of an effort with our group of friends than Cressida has but decide it's best to hold my tongue.

Gale watches them for a moment longer but it's obvious that Madge is having a great time with Cato. He holds her close and she keeps glancing back to catch his eye. I'm not sure I've ever seen Madge like this. Eventually Gale huffs and turns to move.

"I need some hard liquor. Catch you later, Catnip," he says.

I nod my head and he leaves. I watch him go, wondering why Cato bothers him so much.

I find some of our other friends and then Rye and Prim pull me up to dance the Dashing White Sergeant with them. Gale comes back in time to get dizzy in Strip the Willow and Cato makes an effort to speak to everyone in the group even asking both Rue and I to dance at different points. Cressida doesn't join us and after a while Gale goes over to her to try and coax her onto the dance floor.

"You might enjoy it once you get up there," he says.

"I'm wearing six-inch Louboutins. I can't dance in those," she replies.

"You knew we were coming to a ceilidh! Why wear shoes that you can't dance in!" he exclaims.

"Don't raise your voice at me!" Cressida replies.

Most of our group stop what we are doing to watch the scene unfold in front of us.

"I think Gale's reached the end of his tether," Rue whispers to me.

I nod my head in agreement but Gale and Cressida have only just got started.

"I can raise my voice if I'm pissed off with something you have done. You haven't spoken to one of my friends tonight and have made it very clear you don't want to be here!" he says.

"Do you really expect me to make small talk with a bunch of unemployed twenty somethings who think that _X Factor_ is high quality entertainment? I'd rather watch paint dry," she says.

There is a larger intake of breath from our group as she insults us and Rue has to restrain Bristel from marching over.

"There is a lot more to my friends than that. Something you would know if you actually talked to them. I won't be with somebody who is rude about my friends," he replies.

"What are you saying?" Cressida asks.

"This is over, Cressida. We're never going to work. I'm done being your piece of meat," Gale says.

There is stunned silence from everyone. I know I should probably look away and give them privacy but find I can't drag my eyes away.

"You're breaking up with me on Hogmanay?" Cressida says.

"There's no point starting the New Year in something that is not right," he says.

Cressida clenches her jaw and stares at him for a long moment. But eventually she pushes her gin glass away and stands up.

"Well then, goodbye, Gale," she says.

Gale nods his head and Cressida turns to leave. We all watch her blonde hair swish behind her as the sweeps out the room. Once she is out of sight Gale lets out a loud sigh of relief and turns back to face us.

"Did you enjoy the show?" he asks with a weary smile.

Bristel steps forward and pats him on the back.

"Tough luck, mate. Thanks for defending us," he says.

Gale gives him a small smile.

"Maybe now she is gone I can actually enjoy this night," he says.

"That's the spirit!" Bristel exclaims. "I'm getting shots."

Gale laughs and heads to the drinks table with Bristel. Slowly the conversations start back up amongst our friends. Cato puts his arm around Madge's shoulder and leans in to place a kiss on her temple.

"That was pretty brutal. I promise never to treat you that way," he says.

Madge smiles but her eyes aren't looking at her boyfriend. They are looking at Gale.

Some people go back to the dance floor but I'm hot from the earlier dancing so Prim and I head for refreshments. Prim grabs a vodka and coke will I take a beer. We both take a long drink and I let out a content sigh after I have finished.

"This is such a fun night," Prim says. "What time does Peeta finish at the restaurant?"

"The kitchen closes at 10.30. He should be here any minute," I say, checking my watch.

Then I feel a warm pair of hands grab my waist and give it a little squeeze.

"Did I just hear someone mention my name?" Peeta says.

I twist round to see his face and grin at him broadly.

"We're just talking about how much fun this party is without you," I reply teasingly.

Peeta pretends to scowl and pinches me in the side. I let out a little yelp but this soon turns into a laugh.

"Katniss was actually just counting down the minutes until you arrived," Prim says.

Peeta grins.

"I should hope she missed one of her best friends," Peeta replies. "Have I missed much?"

"Not much," I say. "Just Madge introducing her new boyfriend to everyone and Gale breaking up with Cressida."

Peeta raises his eyebrow and I nod my head in confirmation.

"You're right. I've missed nothing at all," he replies.

We smile and then Rye comes bounding over.

"You made it before the bells! You need a drink!" he exclaims.

Peeta nods his head in agreement and lets go of my waist to accept a drink from his brother but keeps a hand on my back as we stand side by side. Rye slings his arm around Prim's shoulder and encourages us all to raise our glasses together.

"To bringing in the New Year with the best fucking people in the world!" he exclaims.

We all laugh and clink glasses together before taking a sip. Prim tilts her head to the side as she looks round our small group.

"Okay. New Year Resolution time. What are we all going to do this year?" she asks.

"Easy," Rye says. "I'm going to stop arguing with my beautiful girlfriend."

Prim smiles up at him as he leans in for a kiss but Peeta and I splutter with laughter.

"What? I think it's an excellent resolution," Rye says.

"I think new year resolutions are supposed to be achievable," Peeta points out.

"You don't think Prim and I won't argue?" Rye asks.

"I'm surprised you haven't had an argument tonight," I say.

Peeta looks at his watch.

"We still have half an hour until midnight. There's still time," he says with a grin.

Rye scowls at his brother and Prim sighs.

"Well I think my resolution is achievable," she says. "I'm going to make sure I drink two litres of water every day. I get so dehydrated on the wards during placement."

"That's a good one," I reply. "I'm just going to say yes more this year."

"So you'll say yes to everything that is asked of you?" Rye asks with a raised eyebrow.

"There are limits. I'm not going say yes to the creepy guy that asks me for sex but if someone asks me to go horse riding I would. Even though I'm not keen on horses," I reply.

"Great. Then you and me are going horse riding next Saturday morning. I haven't done it since I was a kid," Peeta says.

Little butterflies jump in my stomach at the thought of spending a morning with Peeta.

"I'm delighted for that to be my first yes," I say with a smile.

Peeta smiles back at me and we don't look away from each other until Rye speaks.

"What about you, Peeta? Any new year resolutions?" he asks.

Peeta looks back at his brother and shrugs.

"I'm not sure this counts but I'm thinking of going to Italy to do a cooking course over there," he says.

My heart drops slightly in my chest.

"Really? That would be awesome! You've talked about doing that for a long time," Rye says.

"I know. The food at the restaurant isn't the type I want to cook and a mate at work told me about this year long experience where you work in a restaurant after you have completed the course. It sounds ideal," he replies.

My heart sinks further into my chest.

"A year? You mean I would have to look for another flatmate?" Rye says.

"I would get final say on who rents my room. I know what pigs some of your friends are," Peeta jokes.

Rye laughs and I turn to look at him.

"It sounds an amazing experience. You better make me real pasta when you get back," I say.

Peeta nods his head.

"You'd be my first food tester," he says.

I smile back at him and then there is a short pause.

"I'll miss you if you go," I say.

"I'd miss you too," he says, giving my waist a little squeeze. "But nothing has been decided yet."

We smile at each other and then Rye declares he is off to take a piss. He leaves us and then Peeta asks more questions about what has happened so far tonight. As we are all talking a tall blond man with ice cold eyes approaches us and touches Prim on the back.

"Prim. I've been meaning to catch you all night," he says.

"Hi, Gloss. Are you enjoying the ceilidh?" she asks.

Gloss puts on a charming smile and looks Prim straight in the eye.

"It's great," he replies. "And you look hot tonight. Your legs in this dress look amazing."

Peeta and I turn to share a look. Gloss runs his eyes appreciatively over my sister's body and she crosses her arms over her chest to hide her body a little.

"Thank you. It's just something I've had for a while," she says.

Gloss nods his head as he finally drags his eyes back up to my sister's eyes.

"You look stunning anyway. But then you look stunning in anything you wear," he says.

I roll my eyes at the compliment and then Gloss reaches out to place a hand on Prim's waist. She startles at the touch and steps away from it but it doesn't seem to deter the boy.

"Have you done a lot of dancing tonight? I bet you're a great dancer. I can just tell by the way you move. Will you dance with me for the next one?" Gloss asks.

Prim takes another step away from him and Peeta bites his lip to stop himself from laughing.

"My boyfriend will be back any minute. I promised him the next dance," Prim replies.

Gloss's shoulders deflate at the mention of Rye and he ducks his head.

"Another time, maybe," he says.

Prim doesn't reply and Gloss moves away. As soon as he has left, Rye returns from the toilet.

"Who was that?" he asks.

"Just some guy that goes to the same kickboxing class as me," Prim replies. "He was trying to hit on me."

"Oh, okay. Do you want to dance again before midnight?" Rye asks.

Prim's eyebrows shoot up as she turns to face her boyfriend properly.

"Is that all you're going to say? Aren't you annoyed another guy was flirting with me?" she asks.

"Not really. I know you wouldn't have flirted back," he replies.

"That's not the point. You shouldn't want another guy flirting with your girlfriend! Or maybe you don't really care about me enough!" Prim exclaims.

Rye looks confused about how this argument started and puts down his beer.

"Of course I care about you, Prim. You know how much I love you!" he replies.

"If you loved me you would be bothered about Gloss!" Prim says.

Rye shakes his head.

"Wait. How am I in trouble for this? Isn't the fact that I didn't get mad at his flirting proof that I trust you?" Rye says.

"A normal person would have got jealous!" Prim replies

Rye sighs and shakes his head.

"You're being ridiculous. I'm walking away from this," Rye says.

"Fine! Walk away! Make things worse!" Prim shouts after him.

But Rye is already storming away. I can sense the tears threatening to bubble in the corner of Prim's eyes so step forward to put an arm around her shoulder.

"You need to take a seat," I say.

Prim sniffles and I turn to look back at Peeta.

"You get Rye. I'll talk some sense into Prim," I say.

Peeta nods his head and reaches out to give my hand a squeeze before rushing after his brother.

I guide Prim to a nearby table and hand her a napkin to wipe away the tears.

"He's so frustrating at times!" Prim sniffs.

I bend in front of her so I can look her straight in the eye.

"Prim, you need to realise that was the stupidest argument I have ever heard," I say.

Prim snaps her head up.

"How can you say that? He didn't care that Gloss hit on me. He doesn't care about me at all!" she exclaims.

I shake my head.

"We both know that's not true. Rye adores you," I say.

Prim opens her mouth to protest but I stop her with a shake of the head.

"Rye was onto a losing situation as soon as Gloss came across. If he had got mad at Gloss flirting with you, you would have shouted at him for being jealous and not trusting you," I say.

"That's not true," Prim says.

I raise my eyebrow at her and she eventually concedes and hangs her head.

"You and Rye have a habit of starting arguments out of nothing. I would rather have a boyfriend that trusts me enough to not care about a guy that flirts with me than one that went into a jealous rage every time a guy came near me," I say.

Prim sniffs again but nods her head.

"You need to apologise to him," I say.

Prim nods her head again but then I realise that everyone has gathered around the projector and the countdown for the New Year has just ended. Images of the fireworks at Edinburgh Castle fill the projector screen and people embrace each other as the bells go.

I reach out to wipe a tear from Prim's face.

"See. You missed your New Year's kiss because of an avoidable argument," I say.

Prim gives me a small smile and wipes the remaining tears away. She then leans forward to give me a hug.

"Thank you for being a great sister. Happy New Year," she says.

I return her hug and then spy Peeta with Rye over his shoulder. He catches my eye and gives me a sweet smile before shaking his head at our siblings' behaviour.

Prim eventually lets me go and we both stand to make our way over to Peeta and Rye. Prim stops sheepishly in front of Rye.

"I'm sorry for shouting at you. I know you love me," she says.

Rye sighs but steps in to give her a hug.

"I love you more than anyone," he replies.

Prim smiles up at them and then stands on her tiptoes to give him a kiss.

Peeta rolls his eyes at me and I laugh. We then step towards each other for our own hug.

"Happy New Year," he whispers.

"Happy New Year," I reply as I bury my nose into his shoulder.

A warm tingling runs through my body and our cheeks brush against each other as we pull back. My breath hitches at the contact and in that moment I get a strong desire to kiss him.

Peeta doesn't move far from me when we pull back and I search his face for any signs that he feels something too. But he just gives me his usual cheery smile.

Rye and Prim have finished kissing and Rye turns to give his brother a hug too.

"Happy New Year! Sorry I missed the bells," Rye says.

Peeta laughs as he pulls away.

"It's okay. Though this is the first New Year in ten years that I haven't got a kiss at midnight," Peeta says.

I raise my eyebrow in surprise.

"Really? Ten years? Now I feel pathetic," I say.

Peeta smiles and shrugs his shoulder.

"I told you I'm a serial dater. I'm so ready to have a girlfriend again," he says.

He looks straight at me as he says this and I want to question him more about it but then Rue is jumping on my back.

"Happy New Year! Are you coming for the first drink of 2011?" Rue asks.

My attention is turned away from Peeta as I grin at my friend.

"What are we having?" I ask.

Rue grins and then tugs me to the drinks table. But Peeta's last words stick with me for the remainder of the night.

* * *

Neither Prim, Rye or I rise before noon the next day and when we do, we all curl up on the sofa and feel sorry for ourselves.

"Mixing drinks is never a good idea," Prim groans.

"I really need a shower but can't find the energy to stand," Rye adds.

"What a great start to 2011," I say sarcastically.

Prim and Rye nod their heads in agreement and then my phone buzzes. It's a message from Peeta who's had to go into the restaurant for the New Year serving. He's sent me a picture of a delicious looking peppercorn chicken and fresh vegetables with a message attached.

 _Hope this picture helps with the hangover! X_

My stomach does grumble at the sight and the thought of eating food appeals to me for the first time since I got up.

"Peeta has just made me hungry. What food do we have?" I ask.

"I'm not sure. We could just order _Dominos_ ," Prim suggests.

"Great idea," I say.

I pull up the order page on my laptop and our pizzas are soon being processed.

"Done!" I exclaim as I lean back on the sofa. "It won't be as good as Peeta's pizzas but will fill that hole."

Rye nods his head and Prim looks at me carefully.

"Okay. I'm going to bring up the thing we're not allowed to talk about," she says.

I scrunch up my eyebrows in confusion.

"You're my sister, Prim. There are no limits with us. Particularly since you told me you like giving Rye blow jobs using flavoured condoms," I say.

"Hey!" Rye exclaims.

But Prim just silences him with a kiss.

"Don't worry, babe. I've also told her how you have an enormous cock," she says.

Rye smiles triumphantly and Prim turns back to face me.

"I'm talking about you and Peeta. And the fact you are still not together," she says.

I sigh as I lean further back into the sofa.

"I told you. I don't need a boyfriend," I say.

"No one needs a boyfriend. But that doesn't mean that you don't want one. And Peeta made it pretty clear last night that he wanted a girlfriend," she says.

"That doesn't mean he wants me," I reply.

"He was looking right at you when he said it. And it looked like you guys were going to kiss just after midnight," she says.

I'm taken back to the moment his cheek brushed against mine and a sense of longing forms in the pit of my stomach. The curiosity of what his lips feel like hasn't gone away.

"I know Peeta better than anyone and no girl has had as great an effect on him as you. Even when he was still with Delly, you and him felt much more like a real couple," Rye says.

I chew on my bottom lip as I contemplate this.

"Has he told you that he likes me?" I ask.

"Not directly. But that's because he knows that if he did I would tell Prim who would tell you," he says. "But his face lights up when you text him and he is always thinking of new recipes to try out on you."

I mull this new information over in my head. I've been single for well over a year and a half now and I can't keep using my job as an excuse. The longer I think about it the more excited I get.

"Did you want to kiss him at midnight?" Prim asks.

I pause for a moment but the thought of Peeta kissing me brings a smile to my face.

"Yes," I admit.

Prim smiles smugly.

"Then you know what to do," she says.

She's right. This new life is all about reliving my life, but better. Denying I have feelings for Peeta wouldn't help me achieve that. I have to embrace them.

I spend the rest of the day planning on what I am going to say to him. I decide I can't wait any longer and head to the bistro style restaurant he works in. Rye told me when he gets off and I push open the door with nervous excitement.

"Sorry. We've stopped serving," a waitress says.

"It's okay. I'm here to see a friend. One of the chefs. Peeta Mellark," I say.

The waitress nods her head and then disappears back into the kitchen. Peeta appears moments later, tying his scarf around his neck. His eyes widen in surprise when he sees me but his face soon breaks into a big grin.

"Well this is a nice surprise," he says.

I smile up at him and reach out to stroke back a piece of sweaty hair.

"I have something important to ask you," I say.

Peeta raises his eyebrow at me, intrigued.

"Okay," he says.

I smile again as I stare deep into his blue eyes.

"Would you like to go on a date with me?" I ask.

My heart beats rapidly as the sudden thought he could reject me runs through my head. But I don't have to worry because his grin gets even wider.

"You want to ask me out?" he says.

I nod my head.

"Yes. I really like you, Peeta. Way more than a friend," I reply.

Peeta continues to smile at me.

"Well I would have to check with my other girlfriend," he teases.

I roll my eyes and raise my fist to thump him on the arm but he catches it and links our fingers together. He holds my stare as he answers me.

"I would love to, Katniss," he says.

And with that he brings my hand up to place a gentle kiss on my knuckles.

* * *

 **A/N: I wasn't going to make you wait too long for Everlark this time! The first date will be the focus on the next chapter. I hope you look forward to it.**


	6. Chapter 6: January 2011

**A/N: It's good to see so many people excited for Katniss and Peeta's first date. I hope it doesn't disappoint!**

 **A lot of people commented on Prim's slightly crazy behaviour towards Rye in the last chapter and it was very intentional that I portrayed her that way. Prim is still only 19 at this point and this is her first serious relationship. She still has a lot of learning to do about what makes a good relationship.**

 **Thanks to everyone that has supported this story so far!**

* * *

Chapter 6

 _January 2011_

 _ **Katniss 7.03pm**_

 _I've got a great idea for our date! X_

 _ **Peeta 7.04pm**_

 _Can't wait. Do I get to know what it is? Xx_

 _ **Katniss 7.05pm**_

 _Nope!_

 _ **Katniss 7.05pm**_

 _It's going to be a surprise! X_

 _ **Peeta 7.06pm**_

 _Good thing I'm patient then. Surprises are one of my favourite things. Xx_

 _ **Katniss 7.07pm**_

 _Great! One of your favourite things with your favourite person. X_

 _ **Peeta 7.08pm**_

 _Haha! I might need a kiss before I decide that! Xx_

 _ **Katniss 7.09pm**_

 _Trust me. You'll want a kiss after this date. It's going to be the best first date you've ever been on. Xx_

 _ **Peeta 7.10pm**_

 _I already want to kiss you, Katniss. Xx_

I can't stop the massive grin that spreads across my face when I read Peeta's last message. It's been four days since I asked him out and I think about his lips way more than is acceptable. But I haven't been able to see him since. With his shifts at the restaurant and my return to work we both don't have a free evening for another week and a half. And the anticipation is killing me!

Prim saunters back through with two steamy mugs of tea and hands me one. I take it gratefully and Prim smirks as she takes a seat.

"Talking to Peeta?" she asks.

"How did you know?" I reply.

I have to finally put my phone down to take a sip of tea and am anxious for Peeta's next message.

"The soppy smile on your face gives it away," Prim replies.

"Is it really that obvious?" I ask.

Prim nods her head.

"I'm just so excited for you! I feel you and Peeta are going to be a big thing," she says.

"Let's not put too much pressure on this. You said the same thing about Gale and we are definitely best as friends," I reply.

Prim shakes her head.

"But you and Peeta have never just been friends. There has always been this chemistry between you two. I don't even know how you can stand the sexual tension," she says.

As soon as she mentions it a dull ache appears between my legs. An image of Peeta's big and warm hands gripping me tightly also surfaces. The clothes disappear off us both in this image and I imagine the feel of his hot kisses on my skin. Peeta has become the only person I think about when I get myself off.

Prim smirks at me as she sees me squirm on the sofa opposite.

"I probably will have to borrow your earplugs when he finally sticks it in you," she says.

I chuck a cushion at her face and Prim laughs as she catches it and throws it back to me.

"It'll be payback for all the times I overheard you and Rye," I say.

Prim laughs again and then an idea appears to pop in her head. She sits forward with an excited glint in her eye.

"Do you know what this means? We can finally double date!" she exclaims.

I roll my eyes at her but my phone buzzes with a message and I lurch forward to answer it. However, I'm a little disappointed to see that it is Gale's name and not Peeta's. With a little less enthusiasm, I open the message to see what he has to say.

 _Let's all meet at Ripper's tonight for a drink. I've got some celebrating to do!_

I frown at the message, not quite sure what he's celebrating and show the message to Prim. She peers at my phone screen but shrugs her shoulders.

"Maybe he's celebrating Cressida picking up all her crap from his place," she suggests.

"I suppose Gale doesn't really need much of an excuse," I say. "Do you want to come?"

Prim shakes her head.

"I already told Rye I can't go round tonight as I need to study. Placement starts next week and I do not know enough yet," she replies.

"Have fun studying then. There's chocolate in the fridge for when you need it," I reply.

Prim nods her head and thanks me before I go and get changed for the pub. I type a quick text to Peeta to let him know my plans and twenty minutes later I'm out the door and on the way to meet my friends.

I'm not the first to arrive and Gale has ordered a bottle of prosecco. Rue and Blight laugh as he fills their glasses but misjudges the capacity of the glasses so bubbles overflow and run down his hand. I smile as I walk up to them.

"Catnip's here!" Gale announces. "Here. Take a glass!"

I take the glass gratefully and get Gale to stop pouring before the glass overflows.

"What are you celebrating?" I ask.

"Didn't you see the news? My company has just won the rights to design and build the new Forth Road Bridge. And I'm going to be working directly on the main design team," he replies.

I nod my head impressed. The current Forth Road Bridge is a big landmark in Edinburgh and is vital in connecting the city to the neighbouring Fife but the bridge is getting old and there are fears it will be unsafe to use in the not too distance future. It was only recently announced that the city will be building a new bridge and it's impressive that Gale will get to work on it. I know what the finished new bridge looked like in my old life so it will be interesting to see if Gale's influence will change the design at all.

"That's huge! Congratulations!" I say.

Gale smiles proudly and we all clink our glasses together.

"This can be a double celebration then," Rue says. "I've just found out I've got interviews for the post grad in primary teaching. They're in a couple of weeks!"

"Prosecco was definitely the right choice of drink. You're going to smash the interviews!" I say.

Rue grins broadly and there is more clinking of glasses. I couldn't be prouder of my friends.

A moment later Madge and Cato come up behind us. Madge hugs Rue and I but Gale's mood darkens slightly at the arrival of her boyfriend.

"So I assume he's invited to all our gatherings now," Gale mutters to me.

Cato greets Blight warmly and I shake my head.

"He makes Madge happy. And you two have a lot in common," I reply.

Gale shrugs his shoulder and takes a sip of his drink before Madge turns to him.

"I saw on the news. You must be so excited!" she says as she hugs him.

Gale eagerly accepts the hug and this hug is longer than the others. Eventually Cato coughs and Madge pulls back to tuck into his side.

"Hopefully it will be something I can take the grandchildren to and tell them how I helped build it," Gale replies.

He keeps his eyes on Madge and she nods her head. I then step in to offer her a glass of prosecco.

"I don't need to ask if you want this," I say.

Madge nods her head eagerly and two glasses are quickly poured for her and Cato. It doesn't take long after that for the conversation to start flowing and laughter to ring out from the table. I only wish Peeta didn't have to work tonight so he could be here too.

A little while later I get a message from him.

 _Just saw on facebook. Say congratulations to Gale from me. Xx_

I smile, knowing he must be busy at the restaurant but still glad he found a moment to message me. I turn to Gale and gently nudge him in the side.

"Peeta says congratulations," I say.

Gale snaps his head round to look at me.

"Tell him thanks. It's a shame he can't make it tonight," he says.

"You're telling me," I reply.

Gale nods his head and takes a long sip of his drink.

"I heard you two are going on a date. You're serious about this one, aren't you?" he asks.

I smile and nod my head.

"I haven't been this excited about a guy since you," I reply.

"Well I was a hard act to follow," Gale jokes.

I laugh.

"Are you okay with it? You don't feel weird about it?" I ask.

Gale shakes his head.

"I like Peeta. I like seeing you happy. So it's not weird at all," he replies.

I smile at him gratefully and wonder how we can be like this in this life and resent each other so much in my old life. But this Gale is different to the one I knew then. He's not burdened by raising a kid or by a job he hates. This Gale is much lighter and more relaxed so it's easy to be his friend now.

"Word of advice though. Don't feed him your famous fish fingers and beans combination. Only five-year olds eat that food," Gale says with a smile.

I laugh and relax back in my chair.

"Why do you think I agreed to go on a date with a chef?" I say playfully.

Gale lets out a laugh and the rest of the evening passes by quickly and pleasantly.

The next ten days drag by slowly as I impatiently wait for my date with Peeta. Work at least keeps me busy as I prepare for my latest trip to Copenhagen but all I really want is to have Peeta's arms around me again.

Finally the night of the date arrives and I am a mixture of nerves and excitement as I wait for Peeta to arrive. Prim sits on the end of my bed as she helps me find something to wear but she yawns constantly and I can tell she can't wait to curl up on the sofa.

"Your first week of placement has really tired you out," I say.

Prim yawns again and rubs her eyes.

"The first week is always tough as I get back into the routine. But I'm loving it. I actually have a bit more responsibility this time," she replies.

I smile back at her and she helps me pick out a jumper that's not too frumpy looking for tonight. Prim then leaves me to get changed and I let my hair down before sweeping on some mascara and lipstick. I'm just putting on the finishing touches when the flat buzzer goes and I hear Prim get up to answer it.

By the time I make my way through to the living room Peeta and Rye have walked through the door. Peeta's eyes immediately find mine and he comes straight for me. He stops in front of me and hands me a box with a delicious smell coming out of it.

"I thought of buying you flowers but realised food would probably go down better," he says.

My stomach grumbles as I pop open the lid and peek inside.

"They are haggis spring rolls with a sweet chilli dipping sauce. I think you'll really like them," he says.

They smell amazing and I dip my hand inside to grab one with a bit of the dip. The spring roll falls apart in my mouth and I moan at the taste of the flavours.

"These are amazing. You're a genius!" I say.

Peeta grins proudly.

"Anything to get to hear you moan like that," he replies.

"I think there are other things you could do to get me to moan like that," I say suggestively while licking my lips.

Peeta's eyes darken slightly as they drop to my mouth but I'm not having our first kiss in front of our little brother and sister. There will be plenty of time for that later. I lick the remainder of the sauce off my lips and put the box down before threading my arm through Peeta's and turning to leave.

"I think we're just going to head. I have lots planned," I say.

Prim nods her head and Rye turns to look at her.

"Are you getting ready yet? I said we would meet everyone in an hour," he says.

Prim lets out a loud yawn as she nestles into the sofa.

"I'm not going out tonight. I'm too tired," she says.

"But I've hardly seen you all week. I thought this was supposed to be our night together," Rye replies.

"We can be together by staying in and watching a movie," Prim says.

Rye scoffs and shakes his head.

"So you can fall asleep on me within five minutes. I had bigger plans for my Friday night!" he declares.

"Fine. Then you go out then! Clearly getting drunk is more important to you than spending time with your girlfriend," Prim exclaims.

Peeta and I look to each other and aren't sure what to do. Solving an argument for Prim and Rye isn't how I planned the start of the date.

"Can we just go?" Peeta asks.

I turn my head back to look at Prim and Rye who are still arguing about their plans for tonight.

"It would make us bad siblings but I want to be selfish for once," I reply.

Peeta grins and nods his head.

"We'll see you later!" I call over my shoulder.

But Prim and Rye don't really seem to notice. Peeta and I duck out the door and away from all the arguing.

We hop into my car once we get outside and I turn to Peeta with a grin as I start the engine.

"I'm very impressed that you haven't asked me where we are going yet," I say.

"I don't want any spoilers," Peeta says with a smile.

"I hope I don't disappoint then," I reply. "I'm just glad there are clear skies tonight."

Peeta raises his eyebrow at me.

"Is that a clue?" he asks.

"Maybe," I reply with a grin.

Peeta smiles back at me and I manoeuvre through the dark streets of Edinburgh. As we get closer to our destination Peeta's eyes begin to dawn with realisation.

"I think I know where we're going," he says.

I smile as the illuminated white dome of Edinburgh's Royal Observatory comes into view.

"Do you fancy a bit of star gazing?" I ask.

Peeta turns to me with a grin.

"Most impressive first date setting I've ever been on," he says.

I smile, relieved, as we pull into the car park. Peeta slides his hand into mine as we get out the car and we make our way inside.

"I know nothing about stars," he says.

"Which is why this is the perfect opportunity to learn," I say. "And we can huddle together to make sure we stay warm."

I snuggle in closer to Peeta's body and his arms wrap around me in a tight embrace. He bends down to nuzzle my neck with his nose.

"What an excellent idea, Miss Everdeen," he says.

I sink further back into him as his lips replace his nose and leave a feather like kiss on my neck. The slight touch is enough to make my knees wobble and it takes all my self-control to not drag him into a dark corner and spend the entire date kissing him.

But I've booked us into a workshop and I'm determined to come across lady like for at least the first part of the date. Reluctantly I put a little more space between us and turn to greet the cheery astrologer waiting for us.

"Welcome to Edinburgh Royal Observatory. You have a perfect night for star watching," he says.

Peeta grins politely at the man as he rattles through the programme for tonight. But Peeta's hand has moved lower than my waist and I struggle to concentrate as he gentle strokes my behind.

"There are eight other people in the workshop tonight and we'll start with the naked eye guide to the stars before we take you in to use the telescopes. Are you ready?" the man says.

"Can't wait," Peeta replies.

His hand still doesn't leave my arse and I turn around to whisper in his ear.

"I'm going to end up doing something completely inappropriate if you keep that up," I say.

Peeta's eyes grin with mischief.

"I'm planning on it," he replies.

I groan a little in frustration but the astrologer is already ushering us back outside and I try to ignore the effect Peeta is having on my underwear.

"So I'm first going to help you spot the basic constellations in the sky. If we look up right now we can see one really bright star. Does anyone know what it's called?" he asks.

"Sirius," I call out.

"Excellent. And do you know what constellation it is part of?" he asks.

"Canis Major. It represents the famous Greek dog Laelaps," I reply.

"I'm impressed. Maybe it's you who should be up here," he says.

I smile and Peeta turns to me with surprise.

"I didn't know you knew about stars," he says.

"That's because we spend all out time talking about food and Harry Potter," I reply.

"Now I get why Sirius Black transforms into a dog," he says.

I laugh and then turn back to the sky.

"My dad used to teach me constellations before he died. We used to camp out in the back garden and eat lots of marshmallows as he showed them to me," I say.

"That's a great memory to have," Peeta replies.

I smile and nod my head. I don't talk a lot about my dad. He died when I was only eleven from lung cancer. We had a lot of time to prepare for his death but it didn't take the sting of his passing away.

"He'll be proud I'm passing his knowledge on," I say. "Can you see it?"

Peeta shakes his head as he tips his head up to the sky.

"The stars all look bright to me," he replies.

I step behind him and gently turn his head in the right direction. I then raise my arm to point to the bright star in the sky.

"See that star? It's much brighter than the others. And then if you look closely it almost looks like a stick figure, with another bright star at its end," I say.

Peeta eyes narrow as he tries to make the stick like figure out.

"I still can't see it," he says.

"Keep looking closely," I say.

I draw the pattern of canis major in the air and give his elbow a squeeze to encourage him. I can sense it's frustrating him that he can't spot it but I keep encouraging him and eventually his eyes light up with excitement.

"I see it! It's like a little stick dog!" he exclaims.

I beam at him and he pulls me in closer to his side.

"It seems so obvious now," he says.

Peeta then drags his eyes away from the sky to look back at me. I wrap my arms around his waist as he smiles at me.

"I love how you still keep surprising me," he says.

I smile back at him and feel myself being automatically drawn closer to him. I keep hold of his brilliant blue eyes as he lowers his head closer to mine and then reaches a hand up to stroke some of the hair back from my face. I eagerly tip my head up closer and our noses gently bump together. I can feel the heat of his breath and lick my lips in anticipation.

But just as we're about to close the remaining distance the cheery astrologer pops up behind us.

"Do you need any help finding the constellations? Though it seems you have an expert here!" he says.

I almost groan in frustration and slowly pull away from Peeta. But he doesn't let me go too far, spinning me around and holding me to his front as we both face the astrologer.

"I couldn't see it at first but Katniss helped me," Peeta replies.

"Excellent. We can now move onto other ones. The other most famous one is Orion's Belt. Does anyone know how to spot it?" he asks the whole group.

I lean back against Peeta's chest at the astrologer talks through the other constellations. Even through all our layers I can feel Peeta's heart beating strongly against my back.

Once we've spotted several constellations outside the astrologer takes us inside and gives us a tour of the observatory before leading us through to the telescopes. He explains how they work and then we all get a chance to use one.

"You can go first," I say to Peeta.

He turns to give me a questioning look.

"Is this just so you can check out my arse as I bend down?" he says.

"Absolutely," I reply with a grin.

Peeta laughs and shakes his head before pulling me in and kissing the side of my head. I don't even pretend to look at anything else as he bends down and the astrologer points out things he could look for. Peeta does have a very good arse, something that he emphasises in a good fitting pair of jeans that sit just right on his hips. I sigh as imagine what his arse would look like without the jeans on. I bet it's firm and pert. Perfect to grab onto as he ploughs inside of me.

I get wet just thinking about it and decide to pay Peeta back for some of what he did to me earlier. The astrologer has moved away now so I saunter over to Peeta and bend down to whisper in his ear while placing both hands on his arse to give it a firm squeeze.

"Enjoying the view?" I whisper in his ear.

Peeta startles a little at my touch but smirks at my comment.

"You're rather distracting me from it now, Miss Everdeen," he replies.

I smile as I move my hands up to trail up and down his spine.

"I didn't think you would mind," I reply.

Peeta laughs as he abruptly pulls up and takes my head in his hands.

"I don't mind one bit," he says.

I smile up at him and step up onto my toes but the bloody astrologer comes back.

"Are you ready to let your girlfriend have a go now?" he asks.

Peeta takes a deep breath as he lets go of my head and turns to face the astrologer.

"I think I saw everything I needed," he replies.

The astrologer nods his head happily and the ushers me into position. Peeta leans in to whisper in my ear.

"That guy is the worst cock blocker," he says.

I laugh before bending down and listening to the astrologer's instructions. I'm pretty sure Peeta looks at my arse the entire time I'm bent over.

After the telescopes there is just enough time to handle some meteorites and the astrologer almost has a panic attack when Peeta drops one of them. Peeta and both struggle to contain our laughter and the astrologer refuses to leave us alone after that.

It's fun touching a part of space but with Peeta standing so close beside me I am aware that there are other things I would much prefer to touch.

Eventually the session ends and we wave goodbye to the astrologer before walking hand in hand back to the car. We're both laughing when we step in front of it.

"I don't think I've ever seen anyone give me such a murderous look as when I dropped that meteorite," Peeta laughs.

"He's probably making a sign right now with your face on it saying 'Do not let this man touch my rocks!'" I reply.

"I don't need him anyway. I have my own personal star gazer guide," he says.

Peeta pulls me in by the waist and my hands rise up to rest on his chest. My palm flattens over where I can feel his heart beating.

"I don't just dish out my services to anyone," I reply.

Peeta smiles as rests his forehead against mine.

"Then I'm honoured you share them with me," he says softly.

His thumb reaches out to stroke my cheek and my hands slide up to his neck. My fingers toy with the blond curls there and Peeta slides a hand down my side until it rests on my waist. I let out a sigh of content as I press further into him. But Peeta then jerks his head back and scans the area around us. My heart drops and I look up at him with a scowl.

"What are you doing?" I pout.

"Just double checking that guy isn't going to pop up and disturb us again," he says with a grin.

I roll my eyes and raise my hand to hit him gently in the chest. But Peeta catches it and then swoops down to capture my lips. I'm taken a little by surprise and it takes me a moment to catch up with him. He pulls me in close by the waist and his lips taste as sweet as I imagined. His tongue strokes my bottom lip and I open my mouth to grant him access. My hand reaches up to hold his cheek as we kiss languidly under the stars. Neither of us are in a rush to move.

* * *

We eventually manage to untangle enough to get back in the car and head to a local pub for some food. There are more stolen kisses as we eat our meal and there is yet more kissing when we get to my flat door.

Peeta's hands are in my hair and mine are on his arse as we kiss more fiercely against my door. I give his arse a tight squeeze and he instinctively bucks into me. I gasp a little as his zip catches my clit but Peeta doesn't let me breathe for long as he continues his assault on my lips. I grind my hips a little into him and slide my arms up and around his back to hold him close against me. Peeta groans but after he bucks into me one more time, he slows our kisses. Each kiss on my lips gets shorter and shorter until they stop completely and Peeta rubs his nose against mine. I let out a sigh as I pull back to look in his eye.

"I wish I wasn't going to Copenhagen on Monday. It means I can't do more of this," I say.

I reach up to press a kiss on Peeta lips and he sighs too when I pull back. One of his hands then reaches up to caress the side of my face.

"You're only going for four days. Then there will be plenty of time for more of this," he says.

He places another kiss on my lips.

"But what if you go to Italy for that course?" I ask.

Peeta shakes his head as he brushes some of my hair back.

"I looked into it again and I don't think this is the right year to go. There's talk at work of me getting promoted," he says.

My heart lets out a sigh of relief and I pull him in close.

"I know you'll get the promotion," I say.

Peeta smiles into the side of my head and then places a kiss on it.

"I'll see you before you fly on Monday," he says.

I nod my head and give him one last squeeze before he bends down to give me a soft kiss. It is with great reluctance as I watch him walk away.

Prim is already in bed when I close the door so I decide to watch an episode of _Friends_ before following her. I know she will have lots of questions tomorrow.

My sister is up and eating toast when I eventually get up the next day. I woke up to a text from Peeta telling me how much fun he had last night and that he can't wait to do it all again. This means I come through with the biggest smile on my face. Prim notices straight away.

"It went well then," she says with a grin.

"Best first date I ever had," I reply.

"I can tell. Did you kiss?" she asks.

I nod my head.

"A lot. One kiss was just never enough," I say.

Prim laughs as I settle beside her on the sofa.

"You guys are definitely not waiting until date four to sleep together," she says.

"My four date rule may have to be broken," I reply.

Prim laughs again and then asks me to run through the entire date. Normally I'm pretty minimal with first date details but I can't stop myself from expanding on every single detail of it.

"I knew this was going to be special!" Prim exclaims.

"You were right. I should listen to you more often," I reply.

Prim laughs but then leans back against the sofa with a sigh.

"What's wrong? How did things go with you and Rye last night?" I ask.

In my euphoria over my date with Peeta I almost forgot we left Rye and Prim fighting last night.

"He went out without me last night and from the pictures on facebook he looks like he had a great time," she says bitterly.

"It's alright for him to go without you at times," I say.

"I know. But that wasn't the point last night. He doesn't understand that when I'm on placement things are different. I can't just drop everything to go and see him and I'm not going to be up for drinking every time he wants to," she says.

"Have you spoken about it this morning?" I ask.

"Yes. He called but it just ended up with another argument. He thinks that I don't make the effort when I'm on placement. But he doesn't understand! I'm working full time hours and not getting paid for it. He goes into uni for a couple of hours a day and then pretends to be doing his dissertation at home. It's a lot easier for him," she says.

I reach out and give her a hug.

"Rye just wants to spend time with you, which is a good thing. He just needs to remember that it's not always possible," I say.

Prim nods her head as I squeeze her tight.

"I'll speak to him about it. He might take it better coming from me," I say.

"Thank you," Prim says.

I give her one last squeeze before pulling back.

"Shall we make pancakes?" I ask with a smile.

A smile appears back on Prim's face and I get up to find the ingredients.

* * *

On Monday morning, I'm just double checking I have everything for Copenhagen when the buzzer goes. When I open the flat door I find Peeta standing there with a box in his hand.

"I know you have to go in like ten minutes but I needed to see you before you went," he says.

I smile broadly as I step aside to let him in.

"I'm glad you came," I say.

Peeta smiles back at me and then leans down to give me a kiss.

"I know this is quick but I got you something for your trip. But you can't open it until you are in the air," he says.

I raise my eyes in surprise and take the box off him.

"I think I've got room in my hand luggage. But I should warn you, I'm not as good with surprises as you," I say.

Peeta grins back.

"But if you open it later it means we can spend the next ten minutes kissing," he says.

I laugh and Peeta steps forward to take my head in his hands. I eagerly step up to meet his lips and I only just make it into my taxi in time.

Even though I'm dying to know what is inside the box, I keep my promise and don't open it up until the plane has taken off. Fiona Paylor sits beside me and looks over curiously as I take the box out.

"What's that?" she asks.

"Just something my boyfriend gave me," I say.

Fiona smiles at me as I open the box and find a note.

 _Katniss Everdeen's Care Package_

Intrigued I dip further into the box and find Peeta has filled it with lots of things, each with a note attached.

First a Cadbury's chocolate bar ( _For when you miss British chocolate_ )

Next a book on Danish history ( _To impress your Danish colleagues with your knowledge on their heritage)_

Then there is a book of sudokus _(So you don't get bored on the plane_ )

And finally there is a little blue teddy bear the same colour as Peeta's eyes. _(I sprayed the bear with my aftershave so it smells like me when you start to miss me_ _)_

I laugh as I read the last note and bring the teddy bear up to my nose. It really does smell like him and I cling to the smell, already looking forward to the next time I see him.


	7. Chapter 7:November 2011

**A/N: I'm glad so many people enjoyed their first date in the last chapter. There's been an eleven month time jump to this chapter so Everlark are pretty settled as a couple now.**

 **Some people are questioning why Katniss isn't missing Hunter that much in this new life. In my head she does but there will be certain times she misses him more than others, like his birthday or when watching a superhero movie. So far none of the chapters have focused on these events so I have chosen not to focus on her missing Hunter. There will be chapters later on though where I'll look closer at the effect of not having Hunter in her life but I'm choosing to focus on other issues right now.**

 **Thanks to everyone who supports the story.**

* * *

Chapter 7

 _November 2011_

I knock on the door and wait impatiently for Peeta to answer. The message he sent me just before my plane took off left me hot and bothered and I am eager to get my hands on him again. It was a long flight from Copenhagen.

He opens the door and smiles at me. I don't wait a second as I shove my suitcase through his door and then fling myself at him. Peeta catches me and we stumble back against the hallway door. My hands slide into his hair and bring him down to kiss him fiercely. Peeta responds immediately, opening his mouth and tangling his tongue with mine. My hands rake through his curls and then roam down his sides as I push into him. Peeta smiles against my lips as he takes my head in his hands and takes control.

"Those trips to Copenhagen are almost worth it if I get a welcome like this," he says.

He then kisses a path from my lips down to my neck and I tip my head back as he begins suckling on my pulse point. His tongue lavishes the spot there and I squeeze him tight.

"That message you sent me before the plane left was cruel. I had to sit next to my boss with the image of your head between my legs for the entire plane journey," I groan.

"I had to make sure you came straight here once the plane landed. I've missed you," Peeta replies.

I moan as he reaches down to cup me over my jeans and places a hot kiss on my lips. My hands grasp hold of his arse and squeeze it tight as he bucks into me. We both groan and then Peeta spins me around to move us closer to his bedroom. But we don't get very far before we crash into the wall opposite. I nip at Peeta's ear and then my hands find the end of his jumper as I eagerly try to tug it over his head. Peeta steps back only briefly to help me remove the garment and then I spring forward as my lips begin to attack his bare chest. I place sloppy kisses over his collarbone, desperate to feel every inch of him. My lips make their way to his nipples and I use the flat of my tongue to lick and suckle them. Peeta hisses before pulling my head back up and searing our lips together.

"Fuck, Katniss. It's been too long," he pants.

He's not wrong. The latest trip to Copenhagen trip was ten days long and our work schedules didn't match in the days leading up to the trip. I keep expecting the heat to die down in our relationship, and I know it will at some point, but right now I want him just as much as I did at the beginning of our relationship.

"I need to taste you again," Peeta pants between kisses.

"Then you better get me to the bedroom," I reply breathlessly.

Peeta smirks as he gives me another bruising kiss and spins us once again towards his bedroom.

This time we make it but Peeta doesn't direct me to the bed. He pushes me against his chest of drawers and hitches my leg up around his hip. Our cores press against each other and I roll my hips into him. Peeta pushes back and my head falls to the side as I hold his head to my chest. We rut together for a few moments against the drawers but my clothes begin to feel too restricting. I pluck at them and squirm as I try to pull my shirt over my head. Peeta removes his head from my chest and gathers the constricting fabric in his hands so he can tear it off my body.

He kisses me as soon as the shirt hits the floor and my hands roam his back. He shudders as they slip down and dip into his underwear to squeeze his arse. Peeta groans as his head falls to my shoulder.

"I've had enough playing," he pants.

I let out a light laugh as Peeta pops open the button of my jeans and undoes the zipper. He starts kissing down my body, around the edges of my bra and then straight down to my navel. When he reaches the waistband of my jeans he carefully peels them off my body. I step out of them as he peppers my thighs with feather light kisses. I squirm the closer he gets to my underwear and he places a kiss on my hip before hooking his fingers in the waistband of my underwear and pulling them down.

He untangles my underwear from my feet and then pulls my leg up so it rests on his shoulder. He moves in closer and I can feel the heat of his breath on my centre.

"Still my favourite thing to eat," he murmurs.

I would normally scold him for such a cheesy line but his tongue reaches out to lick slowly through my folds. My head rolls back and I grip onto the handles either side of me on the chest of drawers. Peeta goes tantalisingly slow as he laps up the juices dripping out of me. His tongue dips inside of me and swirls around, making my grip on the handles grow tighter. I buck into him, which makes him smirk as he eats me out.

Slowly he removes his tongue and kisses his way up to my clit. His nose gently nuzzles it and I let out a moan of frustration.

"I thought you were done playing," I groan.

"I don't want you coming too quickly," he smiles.

I groan again but he suddenly sucks sharply on my clit. I let out a string of expletives as his tongue starts tracing figure of eight patterns over it and almost lose it completely as he inserts two thick fingers into me.

My hips begin to rock wildly and Peeta has to tighten his grip on my thigh to get me to slow down. But his fingers and tongue don't let up, moving in perfect synchronisation until I come calling his name. He keeps lapping at me as the tremors run through my body and I loosen my grip on the drawer handles to run a hand through his blond air.

"I'm going to come again if you keep that up and I want you to be inside of me the next time," I say.

Peeta eventually removes his lips from me to look up with a grin. He removes my leg from his shoulder and rises to his feet to step in and kiss me. I can taste myself on him but it just further fuels my desire.

"You know I can't deny you," he replies.

I laugh against his lips before putting my hand on his chest and pushing him back towards the bed. He falls into a sitting position on the bed and I reach out to undo his belt and remove the last of his clothing. As he kicks his jeans and boxers off I find the clasp of my bra and let it fall off my arms. Peeta looks at my tits hungrily. They are already hard and ready to be suckled but I want to pleasure him first. I take his dick in my hands as I straddle him and run my thumb over his tip.

"I thought about you like this so much at night," I say.

I give him a leisurely kiss as I use my own juices as lubricant and start working him up and down. Peeta swears as my hand twists around him and he squeezes my waist tight.

"I hope my messages helped get yourself off," he replies with a smirk.

I laugh before kissing a trail to his ear and suckling his earlobe.

"They were the highlight of my day," I whisper in his ear.

Peeta pulls me back round to kiss me fully again as my mind remembers some of the dirty things he sent me late at night in Copenhagen. But reality is so much better.

Peeta's breath has become more ragged and I know this is a sign he is getting closer to climax. But I don't want him to come all over my hand. I slowly loosen my grip on his cock and move over him. I coat his dick in more of my juices and press the tip to my clit. My head falls back as I use his dick to pleasure me.

"Look who's playing now," Peeta smirks.

I laugh as I slowly pull my head back up and then lean forward to kiss him. My hands hold his head tenderly as I sink onto his length. We don't move for a moment as we kiss languidly but eventually the desire for more over takes us. Peeta gently raises his hips to let me know I should start moving. I don't need to be asked twice and rise to plunge back down on him.

I keep this going for a few moments as our lips barely break apart as we kiss. Eventually Peeta starts bucking up into me too and our kisses become sloppier. I grind my clit into him and the course hairs at his base stimulate it in just the right way. My lips fall completely from his as I rest my head against his shoulder.

"Fuck. That's it. Right there," I pant.

"You feel so good, Katniss," he replies.

I can barely smile in reply as he hits my g-spot again and again. I grip onto his neck tightly as he keeps moving up into me and his hands clasp my arse to guide my movements. I'm racing to my peak and purposefully clench around him to let him know I'm close. Peeta lets out an expletive and pushes up into me one more time before pulling himself out of my body and me under him.

I want to scream in frustration for being so close but Peeta doesn't let me have time to do this as he yanks my leg over his shoulder and ploughs back into me. I can only gasp in pleasure as his eyes lock onto mine and he sets a rapid pace.

"You're so fucking perfect. I love watching you come. I love you so much, Katniss" Peeta pants.

"I love you too," I manage to pant back.

Peeta gives me a lazily smile before he smashes our lips together. I'm as good as useless in this position and let him take control. The coil in my belly reappears quickly and I clench around him again. Peeta swears and then presses a thumb to my clit. That's all it takes for me to climax for the second time.

I repeat his name like a mantra as I ride out my orgasm and his pace becomes even quicker. I reach up to caress his cheek and lock his eyes with mine. He doesn't let go of my stare as he pumps into me a few more times and then calls my name as he empties inside of me.

Peeta somehow manages to kiss me one more time before he slumps on top of me. We both just lay there breathlessly for a while after as we come down from our highs.

I recover first and gently push on his shoulder so he rolls onto his back. Peeta pulls me with him and my head falls onto his chest. Peeta weaves his hands through my hair as he places a kiss on top of my head and my fingers trail along his chest.

"Hello, by the way. I think I forgot that when I opened the door," he says.

"We had more important things to attend to," I reply with a smile.

Peeta laughs and I grin as I tip my head up to look at him. He grins back and then we kiss again. I sigh happily as we pull back.

"When do you need to be a work?" I ask.

Peeta turns to glance at the clock on the nightstand before looking back at me.

"Twenty minutes," he says with a grimace. "Are you going to stay here tonight?"

I smile and nod my head. Our relationship has gone smoothly over these last eleven months and we've got to that point that my toothbrush is by his sink and my favourite cereal is in his cupboards. We haven't moved in together yet but spend nearly every night in the same bed. Peeta's work shifts can be frustrating at times but I don't mind as long as he ends up sleeping in the same bed as me.

"Yep. I've got a great night in planned for myself," I reply.

Peeta smiles back at me.

"I got you some new bubble bath and candles for it," he says.

My heart melts at his thoughtfulness and I reach up to kiss him again.

"How are you going to survive your shift if you are thinking about me all wet and soapy in the bath?" I say playfully.

"By walking around with a pan covering up my hard on," he replies with a grin.

I laugh and our lips find each other again.

"Until then, I just have enough time for a shower before work. Do you want to join me?" he asks.

"I'll try not to make you late," I reply.

Peeta smiles as I reach down to give his dick a squeeze. We kiss one more time before Peeta pulls me into the shower.

* * *

I try to keep myself busy once Peeta has gone and do some tidying up. Rye comes back in and we chat about my recent trip and what he's been up to. Prim then arrives still wearing her placement scrubs and her face lights up when she sees me. She comes straight for me and gives me a massive hug.

"You're back! How was Copenhagen this time?" she asks.

She settles beside me and I notice that she didn't look at Rye as she entered.

"Really successful. Their cycling culture is really impressive and they gave us lots of ideas on how we can achieve that here," I say.

"That sounds good," Prim replies.

"It's really exciting. Fiona Paylor is putting me in charge of the _Bike to Work_ scheme and it would be the biggest initiative yet I've worked on," I say.

Prim beams at me.

"That's amazing! I'm so proud of you!" she says.

I smile back.

"What about you? How's placement?" I ask.

"Really good," Prim says with a grin. "I've really built up a relationship with some of the patients. I even managed to beat Chaff at chess today. Though he then threw up on me so maybe winning wasn't a good idea."

I laugh and Rye finally seems to acknowledge us.

"Maybe I should be jealous of this guy. He spends more time with you than me," he says.

Prim turns to face her boyfriend. Things have been very up and down with them this year. Rye really struggles when Prim is on placement and she gets too tired to go out as much. And since he's graduated uni, he's struggled to find work and currently works as a barman in a trendy bar in the New Town. He often goes out after work and it annoys Prim when he wakes her up at three or four in the morning when he gets back in.

"Chaff is in his fifties and is a functioning alcoholic. I don't think you have anything to worry about, babe," Prim replies.

Rye shrugs his shoulder and then looks at his watch.

"We need to leave in twenty minutes if we want to catch that film. Are you ready?" he asks.

"I just need to take a shower," Prim replies.

"Okay. But be quick," Rye says.

"I will be," Prim says. "And you don't need to be short with me."

"I'm not being short with you. I was just stating facts," he replies.

"No. You were being a bit of an arsehole. And you're just making me go slower!" Prim exclaims.

Rye lets out a sigh before picking up his phone.

"Then just go and get ready," he says.

Prim exhales loudly and gets up to head for the shower. Rye doesn't even look as she walks past and I can't help but think even their arguments aren't as passionate any more.

The shower seems to put Prim in a better mood and she is smiling as she comes back through smelling of coconut shampoo.

"We can go now," she says to Rye.

He looks up from his phone and gets up to meet Prim.

"Great. We should have time to buy popcorn," he says with a smile.

Prim manages to smile back and then turns to me.

"Are you sure you don't want to come too?" she asks.

I shake my head.

"Peeta has left me with all the stuff for a bubble bath. I'm good," I reply.

Prim nods her head and then says they will probably go back to ours after the film. I nod my head, secretly pleased Peeta and I will have the flat to ourselves when he gets back and wave them off.

I have a really relaxing night in with a bottle of wine, Chinese take-out and bubble bath. I watch my recently purchased _Bridesmaid_ DVD and the credits are just rolling as Peeta comes back in. I'm cocooned in layers of blankets but I lift them up to make space for Peeta. He smells of the restaurant as he slides in next to me and nuzzles my neck.

"How was your bath?" he asks.

I smile as I kiss his forehead.

"Big without you in it," I reply.

Peeta chuckles and then squeezes me closer to him.

"I have a day off tomorrow. We can have another bath then," he replies.

"Sounds like a plan," I reply.

Peeta lifts his head off my chest and we share a smile before I reach for a kiss.

* * *

Peeta's blue eyes are the first thing I see when I wake up the next morning and he smiles sweetly at me.

"Good morning," he says.

I smile back and lean over to give him a good morning kiss. Peeta's hand curls around my waist and I find myself rolling on top of him as we continue to kiss leisurely.

"Do we have to get out of bed today?" I ask when we finally break away.

Peeta laughs and then places a kiss on my nose.

"I was looking forward to our walk today. But I'm sure it can be postponed," he says with a grin.

A grin too as I weave my hands in his hair and kiss him again.

"We do have that dinner party tonight though," I say. "Are you sure you want to cook on one of your rare Saturday's off?"

Peeta chuckles.

"The reason I became a chef is because I love cooking. I can't wait to cook for our friends tonight. And I'm looking forward to see what you make for dessert," he says.

"Urgh! I forgot I promised to do that!" I groan.

Peeta laughs as he kisses me again.

"Don't worry. I have the easiest vanilla cheesecake recipe," he replies.

"As long as I get to lick the spoon afterwards," I say.

"Then we better go on that walk so you can justify all the calories later," he says.

I gently hit him on the shoulder but we're then kissing again. The walk can wait a couple of hours.

* * *

We do manage to get out of bed and go for a walk in the Pentland hills before coming back and preparing the food for tonight. We put on old nineties cheesy pop in the kitchen and sing into the spatulas as we dance around.

Peeta was right. The cheesecake is easy to make and I get to lick the spoon at the end. The lamb stew is left cooking in the oven and smelling delicious as we get ready.

Peeta comes up behind me as I am dressing and places a kiss on my bare shoulder. I'm only in my bra and skirt and smile as I put on earrings. Peeta puts his hands on my arms and runs his nose along my shoulder.

"Is it too late to cancel?" he asks.

I laugh lightly as he places another kiss on my neck. One hand then slides around my front and cups my breast over the bra.

"They are due in ten minutes," I reply.

Peeta spins me around and kisses me deeply. My hands rise up to rest around his neck.

"Madge is always late," he murmurs against my lips.

I laugh again before he opens his mouth to let my tongue in. My hands move up to tangle in his hair and he squeezes my waist tightly. But we are interrupted by the flat buzzer. Peeta reluctantly lets me go and places one last soft kiss on my lips.

"We'll return to this later," he says.

I smile and nod my head before he turns to answer the door. Moments later I hear enthusiastic greetings in the hallway and when I step back through Rue and Gale are taking off their coats. I smile brightly as I go over to welcome them.

"Hey! Thanks for coming," I exclaim.

Rue and I hug and she chuckles as she pulls away.

"Sorry we're a bit early. Tell me honestly, how many clothes did you have on when the buzzer went?" Rue asks.

I grin back at her.

"I don't know what you are insinuating," I reply.

Gale laughs.

"The lipstick on Peeta is a bit of a giveaway," he says.

I blush but Peeta chuckles as he wipes away the red lipstick smeared over his mouth.

"What can I say? Katniss only got back yesterday," he replies.

He catches my eye and we share a smile before I take coats and Peeta opens a bottle of wine. Peeta hands everyone a glass and we settle on the sofas.

"It smells great," Gale says.

"Thanks. Katniss has even made dessert," Peeta replies.

Gale raises his eyebrows.

"I might just skip dessert then," he teases.

I scowl at him.

"This coming from the man who orders Chinese and passes it off as his own when he cooks for dates," I reply.

Everyone laughs and Gale scratches his neck.

"Yeah. That didn't work too well a couple of weeks ago. My date found the empty take-out cartons in the bin," he says.

There is more laughter and then I turn to Rue.

"How's placement going?" I ask.

Rue got accepted onto the post grad for primary teaching and started the one-year course in August. But she's only just recently started her placement in a primary school.

"It's great. I'm in a primary 6 class and they are doing global citizenship. I suggested setting something up with the school I helped build in Ghana and the teacher loved it. We told the class and they are already so excited about writing to the kids there," Rue says excitedly.

I nod my head and listen carefully as Rue starts talking in great detail about the placement. Her enthusiasm is apparent as she talks and I can't help but compare how she talked about her job in my old life. She seems a lot more passionate about helping the kids now, something that has probably come from all the work she did with children as she travelled.

As Rue and I talk, Gale and Peeta talk about football and Peeta tries to convince Gale to watch the first season of _Game of Thrones_.

"I don't know, mate. Fantasy is not really my thing. I've not heard anyone else talk about it," Gale replies.

"I'm telling you the fantasy element is only a small part. It's mainly about the political movements and power plays. It's honestly one of the best things on TV," Peeta argues.

I smile as I think how the supposedly niche show will be all anyone talks about in a couple of years' time. Gale ended up becoming obsessed with it.

Peeta adds further arguments but the buzzer goes again and I get up to answer it. Madge and Cato appear at the door moments later.

"Better late than never," I joke as I let them in.

Madge rolls her eyes at me as they take off their coats. I lead them through to the others as Peeta goes to check on the stew.

"What was the excuse this time?" Rue asks.

"We were just talking about something and lost track of time," Cato says with a smile.

Neither expands on what they were talking about and I notice that Madge doesn't look at Cato as he says this. She takes a seat next to Gale and then makes noises about how good the food smells.

Peeta comes back through with some mini-haggis balls and spicy dip. These are eagerly gobbled up by my friends as everyone catches up with each other. I keep an eye on Madge and Cato but she turns away from him most of the time. She smiles and laughs on the outside but I sense there is something on her mind.

It doesn't surprise me then when she corners me in the kitchen as I go to get more wine.

"Cato asked me to move in with him," she whispers.

I turn to her with a smile.

"That's great!" I reply.

But Madge shakes her head.

"No. I don't think it is," she says.

I frown.

"Why not? You guys have been dating for a year. You must spend all your time at each other's' places," I say.

"Not really. We spend a couple of nights a week together but we're not you and Peeta. Cato hasn't even stayed at mine for a whole weekend," Madge replies.

I raise my eyebrows in surprise.

"Why do you think that is?" I ask.

"I don't know. Part of it is that I like my independence but the other part…" Madge starts but she trails off.

"Yes…" I encourage.

Madge lets out a loud sigh as she runs a hand through her hair.

"The other part of me can't imagine living with him full time. It's all I've thought about since he asked but no matter how hard I try to picture it, I can't and it doesn't seem right. And I have no idea why!" Madge declares.

I place a comforting hand on her arm and give it a squeeze.

"Then maybe it's not right. You can't force yourself to feel something you don't," I say.

"But Cato is such a good guy! How can I not be feeling it?" Madge asks exasperated.

I shrug my shoulders.

"We're not meant to fall for every nice guy we meet," I reply.

Madge nods her head sadly.

"I don't know what to do," she says.

I give her arm another squeeze.

"You don't need to decide now. You may feel differently in the morning. And until then, we have lots of wine!" I say.

I grin and hold up a new bottle of pinot griot. Madge laughs as she takes the bottle off me.

"You know me so well," she says.

I smile back and we turn to re-join the others. Madge continues to sit away from Cato but seems to cheer up as she talks to Gale. The food is served not long after and Peeta's fantastic cooking distracts everyone else for the rest of the night.

We finally manage to kick everyone out just before one o'clock in morning and I turn to the kitchen to do the dishes. But Peeta catches my arm and pulls me back.

"The washing up can be left for tomorrow. Right now I just want you out of those clothes," he insists.

I smile as I reach up onto my toes to kiss him fully just as Peeta starts walking us back to the bedroom.

* * *

Peeta makes me come twice before we fall asleep tangled together. I always sleep so soundly when I am in his arms and am only disturbed at around five in the morning as Rye comes crashing back in. I groan as I hear the noise but Peeta just pulls me closer and I find sleep easily again after that.

The next morning I'm woken by a text from Prim asking if Rye came back home last night. I type out a quick reply to her, saying that he did, before rolling over and frowning at the empty space beside me. I throw on one of Peeta's old t-shirts and then pad out the room looking for him.

He's not hard to find standing by the hob in the kitchen and my stomach rumbles as I smell bacon. I tiptoe up behind him and wrap my arms around his middle as I place a kiss between his shoulder blades. Peeta startles at my touch but smiles as he turns around to see me.

"I wanted to make you breakfast in bed. You spoiled the surprise," he pouts.

"You know I hate crumbs in the bed," I reply.

Peeta laughs and then feeds me a bit of bacon over his shoulder.

"I should have known your stomach would have got you out of bed," he says.

I smile up at him and then there is a loud crash and the sound of Rye swearing. Peeta raises his eyebrow as he looks in the direction of the noise.

"I didn't expect Rye to be up yet. He got in so late last night," he says.

I nod my head in agreement just as Rye emerges from his room. His hair is a state and he tries to rub the sleep out his eye as he approaches us.

"How's the hangover?" Peeta asks.

"Hell. I didn't want to get out of bed but I'm severely dehydrated," Rye replies.

He pulls a glass out the cupboard without looking at us and fills it quickly with water out the tap. He then downs the whole glass in one go and lets out a satisfied gasp before filling the glass again.

"Where did you end up last night?" Peeta asks.

Rye shrugs his shoulder and keeps his eyes on his glass.

"Couldn't tell you for sure. I can barely remember anything after 2am," he replies.

"You should call Prim. She was worried when you didn't go back to ours last night," I say.

Rye nods his head but he's already turned his back to me and heading back to his bed. Both Peeta and I watch him go.

"Is it me or does he seem more sheepish than usual this morning?" Peeta asks.

"I guess he must have done something really embarrassing last night," I reply.

Peeta nods his head in agreement.

"I just hope it wasn't too stupid or illegal," he says.

I nod my head but the bacon is ready and Peeta moves to dish it up. We don't see Rye again for the rest of the morning.

When we eventually finish our bacon rolls I reach for my phone and find a message from Madge.

"Madge broke up with Cato," I say.

Peeta raises his eyebrow in surprise.

"That's a shame. He was a nice guy," he says.

"He just wasn't the one for her," I reply.

Peeta nods his head as I type out a reply. I ask her if she wants to meet up to talk about it but her reply comes back straight away saying that Gale has already offered to take her to brunch. Peeta comes around and places a kiss on my head as I tell him this.

"Oh well. We'll just have to find something else for you to do," he says with a grin.

I twist round to grin at him.

"You're insatiable," I reply.

But Peeta just answers with a passionate kiss.

* * *

The next week goes by with no notable events. Prim is busy on placement and I notice that she and Rye don't seem to spend any time together that week. That is until Sunday morning when she comes storming round to Peeta's. He and I are busy looking up holidays to take in the new year but she doesn't look at us as Rye opens the door and she barges in. There is a fury in her eyes as she confronts him.

"I'm going to give you one chance to be honest with me. What happened last Saturday after you left work?" Prim asks.

She stands facing Rye with her arms crossed. Rye furrows his eyebrows as he looks back at her.

"A group of us went to a club on George Street and I got really drunk." Rye says. "I told you that already."

"Really? That's all you're going to tell me?" Prim prods.

"Of course. What else is there to tell?" Rye asks.

"How about that Bonnie bumped into Cashmere yesterday. You know the blonde with big tits that works with you? Apparently Cashmere said you went back to her brother's flat and had sex in his bedroom. She's even got some pictures to prove it," Prim states.

"Oh, Rye," Peeta says, shaking his head.

"You did what?" I exclaim.

Rye immediately gets defensive and straightens up.

"I don't fucking remember what happened after the club. I was drunk out of my mind!" Rye says.

"So you don't remember putting your dick in someone else's vagina? That's not something you would forget!" Prim screams.

"You know I would never cheat on you if I was sober!" Rye shouts back.

"You shouldn't cheat on me when you're drunk either! Do you think Peeta fucks other girls when he gets drunk without Katniss?" Prim yells.

Peeta and I look to each other, knowing that we need to step in soon.

"Look. I'm sorry if I cheated when I was drunk. But I didn't mean to," Rye says.

Prim lets out a frustrated scream and launches herself at Rye. She bangs her fists against his chest as she yells at him.

"You're a fucking bastard! I hate you! You've ruined us!" she says.

I rush forward to grab her arms and pull her back from him. She struggles against me as the tears start to fall down her cheeks and Peeta steps forward to restrain Rye.

"I will never forgive you for this," Prim sobs. "I don't ever want to see you again!"

Rye has no argument for now and Prim curls into my chest as the sobs begin to wrack her body. I stroke her head as I usher her out the flat, giving Rye a look full of hatred as I walk past.


	8. Chapter 8: January 2012

Chapter 8

 _January 2012_

I use the key Peeta gave me for Christmas to enter his flat. He smiles at me when I come in and gets up from the sofa to give me a kiss. I smile into it and he kisses my nose as we pull away.

"How was your Mum's birthday dinner?" Peeta asks.

"Mum had a good time and Prim managed to get through the meal without bursting into tears at the sight of every blond haired man so I guess it was a success," I reply.

Peeta gives me a sad smile.

"It's another small baby step," he says.

I sigh and nod my head. Prim's break up with Rye has been tough. She spent weeks crying herself to sleep after it first happened and it didn't help that the girl he cheated with then put up photos of them together that night. Several of them showed Rye kissing her. My sister just wants to forget all about him but it's hard for her while I am dating his brother. Rye's betrayal still seems as raw as it did two months ago.

And just as Peeta and I take a seat on the sofa his cheating scumbag of a brother enters.

"Hello, Katniss," Rye says stiffly.

I barely nod my head in response but I do pull out a small bag that I brought with me.

"This should be the last of your stuff. Prim found it stashed under her bed," I say.

Rye looks up and then to the small bag I hold out to him. Tentatively he walks over and peers inside it. It's just an old watch and crumpled t-shirt but he fears what Prim might have done to them. In the first week after the cheating she sent a teddy bear he had given her torn in shreds.

"Just take the stuff. Prim has better things to do than destroy your things," I say.

I push the bag closer to him and Rye takes the bag off me with a grunt.

"Thanks," he says.

I keep my expression neutral as I watch him sulk to the other side of the room to get his laptop.

"And Prim was wondering if you had found her locket yet. We've looked all over our flat so she's pretty sure it's here," I add.

Rye just shrugs his shoulder.

"I've not got round to it yet," he replies.

I let out an exasperated sigh.

"She asked you to look for it two weeks ago!" I exclaim.

"I've been busy," Rye replies.

"It won't take long for you to search your room. It's probably under your bed," Peeta adds.

Rye whips around to look at his brother angrily.

"I don't need you nipping at me too. You're my brother. You're supposed to be on my side!" Rye exclaims.

"Rye, you cheated on my girlfriend's sister. I can't defend that," Peeta replies calmly.

"I was drunk! We all do stupid stuff when we're drunk!" Rye says.

"But not everyone cheats," I point out. "And I would appreciate it if you would stop texting my sister. You're screwing with her head!"

The most infuriating thing about Prim and Rye's break up is that he won't let her go. He sends her messages at all times of the day, some seemingly harmless, asking how she is but others verge on the dirty and flirty side.

"Prim is old enough to make her own decisions. If she wants to stop talking to me she can tell me herself," Rye replies.

The rage rises up inside of me and I clench my fists at my side. Peeta reaches out to give my hand a squeeze and I relax a little. But I still look at Rye angrily as he seems to show no remorse for what he did to my sister.

"Prim played her part in your break up too but you're not making it easy for her to get over you," Peeta says.

Rye snorts and shakes his head.

"I'm so sick of the two of you trying to give me advice. You're both so smug, thinking your relationship is perfect. But that doesn't mean you get to give your opinion on everyone else's!" Rye declares.

"I'm trying to help you, Rye," Peeta replies.

I'm amazed that Peeta has managed to keep his voice steady and calm as he talks to Rye. I'm furious that he has insulted our relationship. Rye looks his brother straight in the eye and shakes his head.

"But every time you try to 'help' me, it feels like an attack. I don't want to hear it anymore," Rye says.

Peeta opens his mouth to say something else but Rye storms out the room before Peeta can say anything. Rye's door slams moments later.

Peeta and I sit in silence for a moment as we digest what just happened. Eventually I wrap my arms around his middle and place a kiss on his cheek.

"I'm sorry you've got caught in the middle of all this," I say.

Peeta nods his head and runs a hand through his hair.

"Part of me sees where Rye is coming from and Prim was just as responsible for all the arguments they had before the cheating. No one is on his side. But until he admits that he did something wrong I can't help him," Peeta replies.

I nod my head and Peeta sighs.

"I don't like fighting with him though. We have always been so close. Our other brother Bran was always too serious and Rye and I used to team up to play tricks on him," Peeta says.

"I think you are doing really well with him. I just want to punch Rye's face every time I see him," I reply.

Peeta chuckles lightly and pulls me in closer.

"And I appreciate the fact that you haven't. Things with Rye and I are bad enough," Peeta says.

I nod my head and then reach up to brush some of his hair back before kissing him softly. Peeta's grip on me tightens slightly and I open my mouth to deepen it. His tongue sweeps into my mouth and my tongue reaches out to tangle with his. We kiss slowly as Peeta pulls me on top of him and my hands weave into his hair. The kiss isn't hurried and there is no intention to take it any further but Peeta is smiling when we finally pull apart.

I rest my forehead against his as I stroke some of his hair back.

"I've made a decision about moving in," I say.

At Christmas, Peeta presented me with a key to his flat and he asked me to move in with him. I wanted to tell him yes immediately but Prim was still crying into her pillow every night. Rye's betrayal complicated things.

Peeta sighs as he rubs circles on my back.

"You're not moving in yet," he replies.

I nod my head sadly.

"I want to. So much. I love you and the best parts of my day are seeing you. But I can't at the moment. Prim is still too vulnerable," I say.

"You don't have to explain it to me. I know how much protecting Prim means to you," he says.

"It doesn't mean that I love her more than you. Never doubt how much I love you," I reply.

Peeta smiles up at me.

"I don't doubt you," he says. "But a few more kisses would help."

I laugh and then bend down to kiss him again. This kiss is shorter than the last one and I rub my nose over his when it's finished.

"I just need a few months. And then I will move in with all my hiking gear and Harry Potter figurine collection," I say with a smile.

Peeta laughs and then raises his lips so they are only a whisker away.

"I better move my Thor hammer to make room for them," he replies.

* * *

Peeta and I spend the morning climbing Arthur Seat and posing for silly photos at the top before he has to go to work and I reluctantly go home to do the chores I have been neglecting recently. But in the evening I invite Madge and Rue over to try and help distract Prim from her heartache.

They arrive at the same time and proudly hold up shopping bags from Tesco as they enter.

"We brought all the vital supplies. Pringles, Maltesers and most importantly, wine," Rue says.

I nod my head in gratitude as they both begin unpacking the contents of their shopping bags. Prim sits forward to pop open the lid of Pringles and take some out.

"Thank you so much. This is just what I needed," she says.

Madge grins at her.

"It's called comfort food for a reason," she says.

"You don't need to tell me. I think I've put on a stone since I broke up with Rye," she says.

"I keep suggesting you join us at kick boxing. You get fit and you can pretend you are hitting the wanker," I say.

"Katniss is right," Rue says. "I'm currently pretending I'm kicking my uni tutor because of the God-awful essay he has set us."

Prim smiles but shrugs her shoulder.

"I do try. But every time I go to sign up it's full," she says.

"Oh! Tell me about it!" Madge says. "It's everyone's stupid New Year's resolution to get fit. I tried to book onto Zumba half an hour after booking opened but it was fully booked!"

"It's almost February. People will start dropping out soon," I say with a smile.

The girls all nod their heads in agreement and I get the glasses for the wine. Once everyone has got a glass we raise them together.

"Cheers. Thanks for coming tonight. It's been ages since I've had a girls' night in," I say.

Rue smirks at me.

"We can't blame you. If we had Peeta in our bed we wouldn't want to leave him either," she says.

"I can't believe you guys have been dating a year! I don't even remember the time when you weren't together," Madge adds.

I smile but Prim has gone quiet and I can sense she's sad again about Rye. The only reason Peeta and I met was because of her relationship with Rye and it's a reminder how her relationship failed while ours went from strength to strength.

"It's been a great year. But I don't want to talk about boys tonight. Surely we can find more interesting topics," I say.

Prim smiles gratefully at me and Rue and Madge nod their heads.

"I agree. And Rue and I actually came up with an idea this week to distract us from boys completely," Madge says.

"Yeah? What is it?" I ask.

"You know that I'm still in touch with the school I helped build in Ghana and they were saying that they could really do with some more school supplies," Rue begins.

"And obviously I work in events and the company I work for wants to branch into charitable fundraisers," Madge continues.

"So we're going to put on a fundraiser to raise money for the school!" Rue finishes.

Rue and Madge turn to grin at each other and then turn to look at Prim and I excitedly.

"That sounds like a great idea! What did you have in mind?" I ask.

"We were thinking of a ceilidh and auction. We're hoping to get local businesses involved. It would be great if your work could take a table," Madge says.

I nod my head.

"It's definitely the type of thing Fiona Paylor is up for," I reply.

"I have a number for a really good ceilidh band that a friend at uni used for their twenty-first," Prim says.

"That would be great! We're happy for any help," Rue says.

"I can try and get Peeta's restaurant to put forward a meal for two in the auction," I reply.

"Only if that's not too much trouble for him. But that's exactly the type of thing we are looking for," Madge says.

"Do you know what else would be good? A table magician. Everyone at the hospital was raving about the one they had at their Christmas night out," Prim adds.

"Keep these ideas coming!" Madge says. "I can already feel that this is going to be a success."

We all smile and Madge and Rue go into more detail about their vision. Prim seems animated by it too and for the first time in a long time I don't think she is thinking about Rye. I think keeping her busy is the best way to help her get over him.

After the fundraising planning we order pizza and stick on some old romantic comedies. I laugh as Madge and Prim quote the lines along with the film and am in stiches when Rue challenges everyone to do their best re-enactment of the diner seen in when _Harry met Sally_.

"Now you see why I need ear plugs whenever Peeta stays over!" Prim exclaims after I have finished my version of the scene.

Rue clutches her side with laughter while Madge wipes a tear away from her eye.

"But I never have to fake it with Peeta," I reply with a grin.

The girls laugh again and then Prim's phone starts ringing. She's still laughing as she reaches over to pick it up but the laughter dies as soon as she sees the caller ID.

"If that's Rye, do not pick up," I order.

Prim looks at me and then back at the ringing phone. She hesitates as her thumb hovers over the answer button.

"Prim," Rue calls to get her attention. My sister tears her eyes away from the phone to look at my friend. "He's only calling you because he's drunk and alone."

"It might be something important. What if he's hurt?" Prim replies.

I want to tear my hair out at her naivety.

"Prim, trust me. It's almost midnight. He's only calling for one thing. Thresh used to pull this shit on me all the time," Rue replies.

The phone finally stops ringing and Prim looks at it sadly.

"Is he still sending you messages? Messages that tell you how much he misses you?" Rue then asks.

Prim nods her head.

"And I bet all these messages are late at night," Rue adds.

Prim hesitates but I know it's true. The realisation dawns on her and she hangs her head in shame.

"I'm so stupid. Of course he's just calling for sex," she says.

I scoot closer to her and put my arms around her shoulder.

"You loved him. Those feelings aren't just going to stop overnight. Don't be so hard on yourself," I say.

"But Madge broke up with Cato around the same time. I bet she's not still messaging him," Prim replies.

"No. But I never really loved Cato. I just loved the idea of being in a relationship. It's a totally different situation," Madge says.

Prim sniffs and nods her head.

"I just miss him. I know we fought a lot and he hurt me but he was my best friend. I miss that," she says.

I nod and place a kiss on her head.

"I know it's hard. But you have got so many people that are here to help you," I say.

Rue nods her head and then reaches over to get Prim's phone.

"And the next thing we're going to do tonight is take your phone off you. If Rye's anything like Thresh he'll try calling you again in an hour," she says.

Prim sniffs but does manage a weak smile.

"Thank you," she says squeezing me tight. "I can't get through this without you."

* * *

The next couple of months pass quickly. Talks about holding a Scottish Independence referendum begin gaining steam, Adele gets interrupted by James Corden during her Brits acceptance speech and _The Artist_ wins best picture at the Oscars. Madge and Rue spend lots of time planning the fundraiser and Prim seems to be feeling better about Rye. He even returns the locket she lost in his bedroom and as far as I am aware they have stopped messaging each other.

On the day of the fundraiser, I exit the bathroom and pad through to my bedroom wearing only a fluffy white towel. Peeta sits on the bed in his boxers and smiles at me as I enter. I smile back and head towards my wardrobe but he catches my arm as I walk past and pulls me onto his lap.

My legs straddle his thighs as my back rests against his front. Peeta runs his nose along my shoulder and places a kiss at the juncture of my neck.

"You used a new body wash," he murmurs against my skin.

"Almond oil is supposed to be good for the skin," I reply.

Peeta smiles as he continues to place soft kisses along my neck and collarbone.

"I've always loved the feel of your skin underneath my fingertips," he replies.

The kisses get a little firmer on my skin and he reaches around my front to place his hands on my thighs. Slowly, he runs his hands up and down my legs, each time getting a little closer to my core. I let out a content sigh as my arousal spikes and Peeta's hands slip underneath the towel.

"Peeta, we can't," I say. "I just got out the shower."

Peeta smirks against my skin as his hands reach higher and untuck the towel around my body. The towel falls around my hips leaving my breasts exposed to the cool air.

"But I bet you are already wet," he replies.

His hand then dips down to my centre and runs through my already slick folds. I curse my body to reacting to him so quickly but my head falls back against his shoulder as he separates my folds and inserts a thick finger inside of me. He then bucks up into me so I can feel how hard he is.

"You don't play fair," I whine as one of his hand reaches around to tweak my breast.

Peeta smiles as he suckles on my pulse point and plays with my breast until the nipple becomes erect in his hand.

"You can tell me to stop," he replies.

But the bastard knows I won't tell him to. There's a hitch in my breathing as he inserts a second finger in me and his thumb finds my clit. The movements are tantalizingly slow but leave me begging for more.

"Don't stop," I pant.

Peeta smirks again and then gently pulls on my hair to twist my head back. His lips crash into mine as he fingers continue to move in and out of me. This angle makes the kiss clumsy and there are more teeth than normal but I grip onto his thigh to spur him on.

I start to rock against his hand and use my arse to grind down on him. Peeta hisses and gently bites down on my shoulder as I move over him and I curse the piece of fabric of his boxers that separate us. Peeta discards the towel completely and drops it on the floor. I loosen my grip on his thigh and reach around my back to dip inside his boxers and pull him free. His dick springs up against his abs and my hand wraps around it. I give it a little squeeze and Peeta's fingers pull out of my centre. I run my finger over his tip and his hands grip the tops of my legs. Slowly, I work my hand up and down him, occasionally releasing him to fondle his balls and the expletives begin to fall from his lips. I turn back to silence him with a kiss but my own juices drip over his thigh and I need to feel him inside of me.

"Ready?" I ask.

Peeta grunts as my hand grasps his cock tightly.

"Fuck, yes," he says.

I smile sexily at him, twisting around to give him a fuller kiss. When I pull back I rise on my haunches and position his dick at my entrance. Normally I would tease him but today I plunge straight down on him. Peeta grips my thighs tightly again and I don't waste a moment before I move over him. I alternate my movements from straight up and down and circular ones. One of Peeta's hands snakes up my front and grasps my breast tightly. I gasp as his thumb flicks over my nipple and his tongue licks a bead of sweat that rolls down my neck.

My whole body feels flush and our movements become more erratic. I focus only on the feeling of Peeta sliding in and out of me. I then slide a hand down my front to find my clit and begin rubbing hard and fast circles over it. Peeta grunts when he sees and picks up the speed. I can barely catch my breath as my muscles tighten around him. My back straightens as the coil in my belly winds tighter and tighter, finally snapping and causing me to call out his name. Peeta pounds into me again and again as my muscles contract around him and I'm not sure I can take much more. But then he lets out a long groan as I feel him pulsate inside of me.

I lean back against him as he slips out of me and laugh when I turn to hold his head in my hands.

"I guess Madge won't be the late one this evening," I say.

Peeta chuckles before I lean down to give him a sweet kiss.

"Sorry I made you sweaty again after your shower," he replies.

I smile at him.

"Never apologise for giving me an orgasm like that," I say.

Peeta laughs again before I untangle myself from him and finally start my preparations for the fundraiser tonight.

* * *

We're only ten minutes late when we arrive at the fundraiser and Madge and Rue are both busy ordering people about as the guests filter in. Gale spots us when we enter and gets up from his work's table to come and greet us.

"Hey. This looks great, doesn't it?" he says.

Peeta slides his arm around my waist as we all survey the room in the fancy hotel. Thistles and Scottish wildflowers adorn the window sills and match the tartan carpet of the room. The ceilidh band plays some gentle Scottish tunes and everyone is dressed in their finest.

"I'm so proud of them for putting this on," I reply.

Gale nods his head and his eyes find Madge as she shows some people to their seats. She's wearing a midnight blue asymmetrical evening gown and has threaded some of the wildflowers into her hair. She looks completely in her element as she organises everything that goes on around her.

"I've always known Madge was talented. I've always liked her drive and passion," Gale says.

I nod my head in agreement and then Madge turns to spot us. She smiles brightly and waves before making her way over.

"Welcome! What do you think?" she asks.

"It's amazing. I can't believe how many people you got to come to it," Gale replies.

"We couldn't have done it without you. I can't believe you managed to convince your work to buy two tables!" she says.

"It's for a good cause. And everyone loves a ceilidh," he says. "You look beautiful tonight, by the way."

Madge blushes and twirls some of her hair around her finger.

"And you always look good in a kilt," she replies.

"I did spend a whole twenty minutes getting ready this evening," Gale says.

Madge laughs and I kind of feel like Peeta and I have been forgotten.

"You'll need to save me the first dance," Gale adds.

Madge nods her head eagerly.

"Definitely. But I need to dash. I'll catch up with you later," she says.

Gale nods his head and Madge places her hand on his arm to give is a squeeze before she runs off. Gale watches her as she goes and Peeta turns to raise an eyebrow at me.

"Shall we go and find our table?" he says.

I nod my head and leave Gale with his work friends.

We're on a table with other people from my work. My boss, Fiona smiles as we sit down next to her and Peeta sticks out his hand to introduce himself.

"It's so nice to finally meet you. I keep telling my husband about the gifts you send Katniss to try and inspire him to be more romantic," she says.

Peeta chuckles as he pulls out my seat for me before taking his own.

"It's just something that comes naturally to me," he replies.

I roll my eyes but the waiter then comes up to me asking for my drinks order. Peeta places an arm on the back of my chair as he carries on talking to my boss and gives her husband tips on how to be romantic.

The food is delicious and I'm delighted with how well Peeta is going down with my work colleagues. He spends time getting to know each one and makes them laugh with his self-deprecating sense of humour. I can't take my eyes off him, forever grateful that I found him.

After the food is all eaten, Rue gets up to make a speech.

"Good evening, everybody. I can't tell you how much it means to me that you are all here tonight," she starts.

She looks a little nervous as she holds onto the cue cards tightly and I will her to look in my direction so I can give her an encouraging smile.

"A couple of years ago I spent some time in Ghana building a new school in one of its villages. It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. What struck me most was the enthusiasm the people had over there for education. Every day children would come up to us, asking if the school was finished yet. They wanted to know if there would be a chalkboard and even books. Their attitude was very different from the kids here who so often just want to know when they will get an ipad," Rue continues.

The room has fallen deadly silent as all eyes turn to my friend. Rue starts to gain more confidence and puts her cue cards down in front of her. Next an image of one of the children in Ghana fills a projection screen.

"I want to introduce you to Asha. She is twelve and lives in the village where I built the school. She has five brothers and sisters and she looked after them when her mother went to work the barren fields. She loves singing and dancing and gets annoyed when her brother kicks a football at her. And Asha's greatest wish was to go to school," Rue says.

More images of Asha and her siblings fill the screen. In all of them they are smiling and in many they are hugging and hanging off Rue.

"No one else in Asha's family can read and write but she told me how she was going to be the first person in her family today so. Her face lit up the first day the school opened and she saw the alphabet on the wall. I spent forty minutes taking pictures of her and all her siblings in their brand new school uniforms. Asha told me that going to school was the best thing that has ever happened to her," Rue adds.

The images change to ones taken in the school and all the children are smiling brightly and waving to the camera. You can't help but smile along with them.

"I still keep in touch with Asha and her family and I hope to go back this summer. Asha even sent me this letter she wrote all by herself a few months ago," Rue says.

Asha's letter fills the projection screen and it touches me to see her child like handwriting and the pictures of flowers she has drawn around it.

"Asha still loves school and tells me she wants to be a nurse so she can help all the sick people in Africa. That is only a possibility because kind people like you donate money to help schools like this. Any money you donate tonight will be spent on school books, pencils, PE equipment. Everything a school needs to help children learn. I will be thankful for every penny you donate. I know Asha will be ecstatic with everything you help buy," Rue finishes.

There is just a short moment of silence before all Rue says sinks in and applause erupts. Rue looks taken aback as several people stand up to applaud. I stand up too and Peeta whistles as a few cheers break out. Rue surveys the room in amazement and I grin widely at her as she catches my eye.

I couldn't be prouder of my friend and think she didn't achieve anything like this in my old life. As I look around all the people I knew back then, I realise everyone seems happier and more content with their life. Everyone is succeeding more this time around. And although the sharp pain of missing Hunter hits me at certain moments, I can't help but think it should have been like this the first time.

The auction is a raging success and lots of money is raised for the school. Rue and Madge can't stop smiling all night and jump on Gale's offer to go to a club on George Street after the event is over.

"Are you sure you guys don't want to come?" Rue asks.

Peeta and I shake our heads.

"My feet already hurt in these shoes," I reply.

Madge shakes her head.

"You know you can tell us that you would just prefer to have sex with your boyfriend," she says.

I blush slightly and Peeta chuckles as he pulls me in by the waist and places a kiss on my head.

"Can you really blame her?" he replies.

I gently elbow him in the ribs but he just laughs again as our friends turn to leave. Gale wraps his jacket around Madge's shoulders and she turns back to give us a wicked smile.

"Don't do anything we wouldn't do!" she declares.

I roll my eyes at her as we watch them all get into the taxi. Peeta and I are forgotten as it zooms off. Peeta then turns to me with a grin.

"We better get back before I turn into a pumpkin," he says.

I laugh and shake my head at him before we find our own taxi to take us back to my place.

I'm not expecting Prim to be up when we get back but we hear laughter as we open the door. Confused, I walk to the living room door cautiously but my frown soon turns to a look of alarm when I see who is with my sister.

"Get out. Now," I demand as I catch sight of Rye.

Their laughter dies from their lips and Peeta looks as equally shocked as I do.

"Prim was the one that let me in. She should be the one to decide when I go," Rye replies.

"Just get out, Rye," Peeta says.

Rye looks put out that his brother is not sticking up for him but Prim gently touches his leg to get him to look at her.

"It's okay. It's late anyway," she says.

Rye's shoulders deflate and he nods his head. I step out the way to let him pass but don't look at him as he leaves. My eyes are firmly on my sister. Once I hear the door close, I question her.

"When did you start talking to him again?" I ask.

Prim looks down guiltily as she shrugs her shoulder.

"Around Valentine's day," she admits.

I let out a loud sigh as I pinch the bridge of my nose. I shake my head before coming around to sit next to her.

"You've been talking to him for a whole month, Prim. Why didn't you tell me?" I ask.

"Because I knew how you would react. I didn't want to be judged by you, Katniss," she replies.

My shoulders deflate as I realise I may not have been helping the situation.

"I'm sorry that I've made you feel like I'm judging you. I just get so angry when I think about he did to you. But I thought you realised he was only messaging you to get you back into bed again," I say.

"I don't think that's true anymore. He's stopped the late night messages and he seems sorry for what he did. There are things such as second chances," she replies.

Peeta shakes his head as he takes a seat opposite us.

"He's sleeping with other girls, Prim. I've met some in the mornings," he says.

Prim clearly wasn't expecting that and I see the moment her heart breaks in two again. I had refrained from telling her about Rye's nocturnal activities because she seemed to be finally getting over him. But it seems he's being trying to worm his way back this entire time.

Her head drops and I can tell she is trying hard not to cry in front of us again.

"I didn't know that," she says quietly.

"My brother isn't treating you with respect and you deserve so much better than that," Peeta replies.

I nod my head as I pull her into me.

"I know it's hard but trust me when I say you are better off without him," I say.

Prim sniffs and nods her head. I catch Peeta's eye over her shoulder and he gives me a sad look. Prim is still a long way off from getting over his brother.

* * *

 **A/N: Poor Prim. It's going to take a while to get over Rye completely. But at least Everlark are mature enough to not let it effect their own relationship.**

 **Many people are wondering when Gale and Madge are going to get together and it's going to happen soon. They just need a little push from someone!**


	9. Chapter 9: May 2012

Chapter 9

 _May 2012_

I flick through the last few pages of the sustainability magazine and close it with a huff. I look over to Peeta's alarm clock and realise he has left me alone for half an hour. On my birthday.

I know he's left me alone so he can sort some birthday surprise. He's been grinning about it from the moment we woke up but I'm getting impatient. We both took the day off work so we could spend the whole of my 25th birthday together and now I'm bored.

I huff again and re-braid my hair. I look at the clock again but only a minute has passed. I stare at the bedroom door and drum my fingers against the bed. Surely it can't be much longer.

After what seems like an age, Peeta eventually pops his head around the door with a broad grin.

"You can come through now," he says.

I sigh in relief and hop out of bed to join him.

"This better be good," I say.

Peeta wraps his arm around my waist and his grin grows wider.

"Oh it is. And it involves food," he replies.

"That's exactly what I want to hear," I say, snuggling in closer to him.

Peeta places a kiss on the side of my head and then leads me through to the kitchen. My eyes are drawn to what he has set out on the table and widen in awe. He's made scrambled eggs on toast for me but he's cut out the toast pieces to spell out a special message for me.

 _Happy B'day Katniss_

I turn to him with a look of adoration.

"You made this all by yourself? That must have taken you ages!" I say.

Peeta pulls me closer to him and ducks his head down.

"It did take me ages. But the look on your face now is worth it," he replies.

"I love it. It's such a Peeta thing to do," I say.

Peeta smiles as I tip my head up so I'm closer to his lips.

"I just like making you smile," he says.

I nod my head and then reach up onto my toes to kiss him. My hands slide up his chest and he lifts me slightly off my feet. I grip onto his shoulders to steady myself as his tongue sweeps into my mouth. I sigh as our tongues tangle together. This is all I need for my birthday.

Eventually we pull apart and Peeta tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Happy Birthday," he says softly.

I grin as I step on my toes to give him another quick kiss and then turn to look at my breakfast.

"How long do you think this will take me to eat?" I ask.

Peeta chuckles as he wraps his arms around me and pulls my back against his chest.

"We need a picture first. I need proof of all my hard work," he says.

"Okay. But you better be quick. My tummy has started to rumble," I reply.

"Just let me get my phone. And don't eat anything until I get back," he says.

"I won't make any promises," I reply.

Peeta chuckles as he lets go of me and dashes off to fetch his phone. I lick my lips at the spread of food in front of me.

* * *

I lick the last of the crumbs off my fingers and let out a satisfied sigh.

"You'll find it hard to top that next year," I say.

"I take that as a challenge," Peeta says.

He wriggles his eyebrows and I laugh and put my feet in his lap. Peeta immediately picks up one foot and starts to gently massage it.

"Is a foot massage the next part of my birthday surprise? Because I can think of something better to do," I say suggestively.

Peeta quirks his eyebrow at me and I pull my foot out of his hand. I move it down and trace the outline of his cock that can be seen through his thin boxer briefs.

"But I already woke you up with an orgasm," he says.

"Mmm. But I haven't felt you inside of me yet," I reply.

I then apply more pressure to his crotch and I feel him start to grow hard underneath my foot. Peeta groans as my toes continue to work up and down his length.

"I'm not going to deny you on your birthday," he says.

He then grabs hold of my ankle and tugs me towards him. I let out a little yelp as I almost fall off my chair but his hands then reach out and pull me onto his lap. I straddle his thighs and press down on his groin. Peeta moans again as his hands slide up my side and remove the flimsy pyjama top over my head. His lips engulf my breasts before the top has even hit the floor and my head falls back. My hands weave into his blond curls and guide his movements as his tongue flicks and suckles my nipple. He uses the flat of his tongue to lather my tit and I yelp again when he gently bites down on it. My hands wind tighter in his hair and I unconsciously start riding over him.

"I need these off," I demand as one of my hands slips down to ping the elastic of his boxers.

Peeta releases my breast to pull his head back up to look at me. He places a hard kiss on my lips as he guides my hand inside his underwear. I wrap my hand around him and give him a squeeze.

"I could say the same about you," he says.

He then let's go of my hand and reaches for my own underwear. I gasp as he dips his finger inside of me and both of us pant as we work in tandem. I swear as Peeta curls his finger inside of me and hits the sweet spot inside of me. My hand works up and down him quicker and Peeta adds his own expletives to mine. Our movements get faster and our skin gets slicker but neither of us want to finish this way.

Without verbally communicating we slowly pull our hands away from each other and we pull our eyes back up to look at each other. There is a moment of quiet as we stare into each other's eyes and then I bend down to place a soft kiss on his lips. We both rise slightly to shimmy our underwear down our legs and as soon as the garments are removed we snap back to each other. I take his head in my hand and kiss him deeply, pouring every feeling I have for him into it. He grips me tightly to him and after a moment we start bucking up into each other again. I slide one hand down to grip his cock and guide it into my entrance. Our lips don't leave each other as we join and I start swirling my hips in search of that much needed friction. I grind down onto him hard and gasp when he hits the right spot.

"Oh my God, Peeta. Yes! Right there," I pant.

Peeta silences me with another searing kiss and bucks his hips harder up into me. The pleasure overtakes my whole body and my lips forget how to function. Peeta plants a few more sloppy kisses on my lips but I can't respond. I only concentrate on bouncing up and down on top of him.

Eventually he stops kissing me too and drops his head to my shoulder. He grips onto my hips tightly as we continue to move together.

"Shit. I'm close, Katniss," he pants.

"Me too," I somehow manage to mumble.

Peeta nods his head and then dips his fingers down to press on my clit. I let out a strangled scream and press down on him harder. His fingers work me as my muscles tighten around him. It only takes one more thrust for me to hit my peak.

As soon as Peeta feels my walls contract around him he lets out a long grunt and follows me soon after.

I take his head in my hands after we have regained our breath and place a sweet kiss on his lips.

"Do you think we woke Rye?" I ask.

Peeta grins at me as he places a kiss on my nose.

"I hope so. Otherwise I'm not doing my job right," he replies.

I laugh but Peeta catches my lips again in another kiss.

* * *

We eventually manage to get dressed and then head down to Portabello Beach for a picnic. We spend the day eating, kissing and throwing a frisbee about. I don't stop smiling and laughing and look forward to the bath we'll share together to get rid of all the sand.

Rye is watching TV when we get back and he nods his head in greeting.

"Happy Birthday, Katniss. From the sounds this morning, I know my brother is treating you well," he says.

"I have no complaints," I reply with a smile.

Peeta winks at me and I laugh. But we're interrupted by the flat buzzer. Peeta goes to answer it and a moment later, Prim arrives on their doorstep.

"Is Rye in?" she asks.

Peeta nods his head as he steps aside to let her in but I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. I thought we had finally come to the end of the whole Rye thing. But Prim storms through to confront him.

"You disgusting shit!" she exclaims. "You gave me fucking chlamydia!"

I recoil at my sister's statement and shake my head in confusion. When did this happened?

"What they hell are you talking about?" Rye asks, clearly irritated.

"You do know you have chlamydia, right? I went to the doctors last week and my results came back today. I tested positive for chlamydia. You must have got it from one of the many girls you slept with after you broke up with me!" Prim says.

"How do you know for sure it came from me?" Rye says.

"Because you are the only person I have slept with in the last three years! And I was stupid enough to not force you to wear a condom that night a couple of weeks ago!" she replies.

I let out a shocked gasp at this piece of information. I had no idea they slept together again. As far as I was aware they weren't even talking.

"You know if I hadn't picked this up sooner I could have run the risk of becoming infertile? You could have damaged my chances of having children!" Prim adds.

"Then you should have made me wear a condom!" Rye shouts back.

"It was just as much your responsibility as mine. Probably even more because you've been sleeping around!" Prim replies.

Rye shakes his head.

"What do you want me to do? It's done now and I can't change it," Rye replies.

"You could apologise at the very least," she says.

"Fine. Sorry. But don't blame me for your regrets of that night. I didn't force you to do anything," Rye says.

And with that he gets up and brushes past us as he leaves the room. There is a moment of silence after he leaves and when Prim finally meets my eyes she looks guilty.

"Please don't hate me," she says.

"Why would I hate you?" I ask.

Prim sighs as we both take a seat on the sofa.

"Because I'm a pathetic loser who sleeps with my cheating ex-boyfriend," she replies.

She then hides her head in her hands and I rest a comforting hand on her back.

"I could never hate you for that," I say.

"No. But you think it was a stupid decision," she says.

"Well it's not the best decision you've made," Peeta says as he takes a seat opposite.

Prim finally removes her head from her hands to look at him.

"I was so weak. I was on a night out and he was in the same club. I was drunk and he bought me a drink. I didn't even need a lot of persuading," she says.

"It's okay to make mistakes, Prim. But you do realise that you won't get over him if you are still under him?" I say.

"I do know that. That's why I'm so mad at myself. Because I was finally putting him behind me and it only took one drunk night to go back to square one," she replies.

"You're not at square one," Peeta says. "You wouldn't be mad at yourself if you still were."

Prim smiles at him gratefully. She then turns to give me a hug.

"Thanks for not being judgemental," she says. "And I'm sorry I brought this drama to your birthday."

I squeeze her tight.

"I'm here whenever you need me. You don't need to keep things about Rye secret from me," I say.

Prim nods her head and then pulls back.

"I couldn't ask for a better sister," she replies.

* * *

Prim stays a little while longer but doesn't want to intrude on my night with Peeta. We part with a hug and I promise to call her tomorrow. Peeta shakes his head once I have shut the door behind her.

"I didn't expect that," he says.

I sigh and step into his arms.

"Me neither. But I think this might be a good thing. She seems finally ready to let him go," I reply.

Peeta nods his head.

"Are you still okay about leaving her? She's not completely over him yet," he says.

"She's told me to move out. Her new flatmate moves in at the end of the month. I can't wait to move in with you," I say.

Peeta smiles back at me.

"Good. Because I hate sleeping without you," he replies.

I nod my head in agreement and then reach up to give him a kiss.

* * *

The rest of my birthday is very relaxing. I meet all my friends at a paintballing centre just outside of Edinburgh at the weekend to continue my birthday celebrations. Madge and Rue appear with a giant helium balloon and wrap me in a warm hug.

"Happy Birthday! It's time to have your quarter life crisis!" Rue exclaims.

I chuckle as I pull back and shake my head.

"I'm not planning on having a crisis anytime soon. There is not really anything I can complain about," I reply.

Rue rolls her eyes at my comment.

"You don't need to rub it in that you've got all your shit together. You have a great job and are about to move in with a hot blond who feeds you whenever you want," she says.

Madge nods her head.

"I saw the eggs on toast picture on facebook. I have never felt more single in my life," she adds.

"You don't need a man to make you happy. And being single means you get a whole double bed to yourself," I reply.

Rue laughs.

"That's very true. I do like to starfish in the bed. I ended up kicking the last guy I shared a bed with in the crotch because I felt so cramped!" she says.

We all laugh.

"These poor guys. We don't make it easy for them," Madge says.

Rue nods her head but then Bristel and Gale appear.

"This is an excellent idea for a birthday celebration, Katniss!" Bristel exclaims.

"The thought of shooting all my friends had great appeal," I say with a grin.

Gale laughs.

"You only chose this because you know you are the best shot. I feel sorry for Peeta. We all know his aim is rubbish," he says.

"Hey! It wasn't my fault dust got up my nose and made me sneeze that time I hit the ceiling at the archery range," Peeta replies.

I laugh and put my arm around my boyfriend's waist.

"It's okay, honey. Some people just shouldn't be near a bow and arrow," I tease.

Peeta quirks his eyebrow at me.

"You're only getting away with that comment because it's your birthday," he says.

I laugh again but Bristel and Gale are getting impatient.

"Enough talking," Bristel says. "It's time to suit up!"

Rue shakes her head as we head into the centre.

"You've seen _The Avengers_ too many times. I'm not pretending to be a superhero today," she says.

"Come on. You have to admit it's the best superhero film yet! Loki is a great villain and Mark Ruffalo is the best Hulk!" Bristel replies.

A lot of us shake our heads again. The first _Avengers_ film recently came out and Bristel has already seen it three times in the cinema. I found it difficult to watch. Watching it reminded me so much of the time I used to watch it with Hunter. The film just wasn't the same without my son jumping around next to me as he re-enacted his favourite fight scenes.

"Let's just see how we all get on out there. My money is on Peeta getting hit the most," Gale says.

"I would be offended by that but Katniss is always telling me how loud my steps are. I'm sure I'll be easy to find out there," Peeta replies.

I smile at him and squeeze his hand.

"It's okay. I can massage all your sore bits later," I say.

Peeta's eyes gleam and he ducks down to quickly give me a kiss. Gale barks at us to break it up and we pull away with a smile. We then link our hands together as we are shown where to get changed.

We all dress in the appropriate protective and camouflage gear and then listen carefully to the instructor. There is another group of people here too and there will be various games played during the afternoon. However, the first game lets us get used to the paintballs and we are given fifteen minutes to run about the woods and shoot at each other. As soon as the instructor blows her whistle I dash into the trees, hoping to hide and pick people off as they go past. Bristel stays where he is and lets out loud cries as he fires at the fleeing people. Peeta is one of the first to get hit.

I manage to get out of Bristel's range and crouch behind some barrels. I hear footsteps a minute later and jump up to find Prim running past. I pull the trigger immediately and hit her on the arm. She lets out a yelp of pain as she turns to face me and I fire another shot at her chest. A yellow paint splodge brightens up her camouflage gear. She fumbles with her gun and shots in my direction but she misses. I smile as I hit a near identical yellow splat at her hip.

"I see blood loyalties have gone out the window," Prim says.

I smile and then open up my body, raising my arms in the air to give Prim a clear shot.

"I'll let you take a practise shot on me. You won't miss at this range," I reply.

Prim gives me a wicked smile and then raises her gun to point it at me. Her eyes narrow to the spot she wants to hit and she takes a deep breath before releasing the trigger. The paintball goes flying through the air and lands right in the middle of my chest. I put my arms back down and look at Prim, impressed.

"That was a good shot. I don't think you need any more practise," I say.

Prim looks proud of herself but I'm not going to let her have the last word. I raise my gun again and fire one last paintball at her chest before darting further into the trees.

I manage to stay mostly hidden and hit a few unsuspecting members of the other group. But I want to find Peeta. He'd be such an easy target.

I keep my eyes out front as I creep backwards behind a wooden barrier. No one seems to be in the vicinity but I can hear shots not that far off. I make it fully behind the barrier when I hear a snap of a twig behind me. I jerk round and raise my gun at the person who made the sound. My eyes meet with Gale and he stands in a near identical pose to me.

"Being hit by a paintball is going to hurt at this range," he says.

I nod my head.

"Want to call a truce? I'm trying to find Peeta and could do with an ally," I say.

A big grin spreads across Gale's face.

"Count me in," he says.

He then sticks out his hand and I shake it in mutual agreement.

We creep out from behind the barrier and sneak our way through the woods. We hear Bristel making war like cries as he shoots at anything that moves but it takes us a moment to locate Peeta. Gale eventually sticks his arm out and pushes me behind a shed.

"He's over there," he whispers.

I peek through a crack in the window and spot my boyfriend a bit further ahead. He looks around cautiously and holds his gun, ready to shoot when needs be.

"You think you can shoot from this far?" Gale asks.

"Easy," I say, raising my gun.

I wait patiently for Peeta to walk into my range and then squeeze the trigger. Peeta looks down surprised by the paintball that hits his leg and I duck quickly down from the window. Gale then stands up and fires another paintball in Peeta's direction. I watch through a crack in the window as Peeta glances at his other leg and looks around the area confused. I bite my lip to stop myself from laughing as I quickly step again to shoot at him. Peeta has no idea where he is being targeted from.

Gale and I tag team each other as we colour the legs of Peeta's trousers with our paintballs. Our shoulders shake as we try to hide our laughter and Gale shakes his head.

"I don't think I'd want Peeta as an ally if I got lost in the woods," he says.

"He would be good at making the meals though," I say.

We share a grin and turn back to look at Peeta. He's still confused about who is shooting at him and he wanders in the opposite direction to us. However, as we continue to chuckle, Gale suddenly lets out an oof noise. He turns to look over his shoulder and puts his hand on his back. I look across to see he's been hit square on the back.

We both looking quickly behind us and find Madge pointing her gun at us.

"Did you just shoot me in the back?" Gale says, quirking his eyebrow.

"To be fair, you were an easy target," Madge replies.

Gale shakes his head and stretches up fully.

"You're not getting away with that," he says with a cheeky glint.

Madge yelps as she darts away but Gale is in quick pursuit. He fires at her as she runs but he misses at first. His second shot is more successful and finds Madge's arm. But this doesn't slow her down and she picks up the pace. He fires again and this time gets her in the leg. Madge then turns and tries to shoot at him as she runs backwards. But she isn't looking where she is going and stumbles over a log, landing flat on her back and her paintball is fired high in the sky.

This lets Gale catch up with her and he places his feet either side of her body so he looks down on her with his gun pointed.

"Do you surrender?" he asks.

Madge pants a little as she looks back up at him but does raise her hands in surrender.

"I surrender," she replies.

Gale smiles triumphantly and puts his gun down to help her get up. Their noses practically brush together as he helps pull her up and they look directly in each other's eyes.

"I apologise for shooting you in the back," Madge replies.

She then steps on her toes to kiss him on the cheek and it almost looks like Gale is blushing.

* * *

The rest of the games are just as fun and by the end everyone is fully into it, letting out war cries and making pow noises as they shoot at everyone in sight. This means everyone is in good spirits when we head back into the city centre to grab a bite to eat.

"I think you all owe me a drink for winning the capture the flag game for us," Bristel declares as we all slide into a big leather booth at the burger place.

Rue shakes her head.

"No way. The only reason you won the game was because Prim got shot right in front of you and had to drop the flag. You were able to pick it right up and run to base before anyone realised you had it," she replies.

"Maybe that was my plan all along," Bristel says.

Many of us shake our heads again and Bristel continues to grin broadly.

"I was most impressed with Prim today," Gale says. "I think you were the person that hit me the most."

Prim pushes her shoulders back and grins broadly.

"It's surprising easy to aim when I'm imagining Rye's face," she says.

"That might explain why you kept targeting me," Peeta says. "It's a curse to look like my brother."

Everyone laughs but Prim doesn't dwell on Rye long and I think that is a very good sign.

The burgers come and are delicious. I'm pretty full but some people still want dessert. Madge looks at the dessert menu and licks her lips.

"Oh. I really want the chocolate fudge sundae but I don't think I can eat it on my own," she moans.

"I'll share it with you," Gale offers.

Madge's eyes light up and she puts her hand on his arm as she turns to him.

"Deal. But I get the fudge chunks on the top," she says.

Gale grins as he stares straight in her eyes.

"Whatever you want," he replies.

Madge smiles back at him and gives his hand a squeeze. Their hands don't part until the sundae arrives.

Gale lets Madge eat all the fudge chunks before he dips his spoon in.

"I'll need to go to the gym tomorrow to work this off," Madge says after she has taken a bite.

"You don't need to worry. You look great at the moment," Gale replies.

Madge smiles softly at him and then dips her spoon in again. Gale dips his in at the same time and when he pulls it back out, accidently knocks cream onto Madge's nose. She freezes before bringing her finger up to her nose and wiping the cream off. She sticks the cream filled finger in front of Gale.

"Did you just put cream on my nose? Is this pay back for the shooting in the back incident earlier?" she asks.

"It was an accident," Gale replies.

But Madge shakes her head and then scoops some chocolate sauce out the sundae dish. She brings the spoon up and smears chocolate all over Gale's nose.

Gale looks shocked but not displeased.

"So that's how you want to play it," he says.

He then sticks his finger in the sundae and paints swirling patterns all over Madge's face. She lets out a little shriek as she tries to flick cream at him.

"We're not ten years old, Gale!" she exclaims.

"You started it!" Gale replies.

The rest of us watch in disbelief as we watch them cover each other's faces in cream and chocolate.

"Well I didn't see this coming," Rue says.

Madge and Gale laugh as they finally put down their sticky spoons and fingers.

"I think I'm messier than when I was at the paintball," Madge says.

"Definitely messier. But you kind of look cute covered in chocolate," Gale says.

He then runs a finger across her cheek and gathers up some of the chocolate. He doesn't look away from Madge as he sucks the chocolate off his finger.

"I think we better clean up," Madge says. "Sorry, Katniss, for bringing down the mental age of your party."

I tell her it's fine and then they both get up to go the toilets to clean up. The walk closely beside each other as they laugh all the way.

Once they are out of sight Peeta leans in to whisper to me.

"When do you think they are going to admit that they fancy each other?" he asks.

I look at him shocked.

"Why do you think that?" I say.

"Come on, Katniss. They have been all over each other today. It reminds me of how you and I were before we got together," he replies.

I look in the direction of the toilets and wonder if Peeta is right. It's true they are very touchy feely with each other but Madge has always been a bit like that. But I can't deny how close they have looked today. And maybe there have been other signs that they have been into each other. The fact Gale was the first person to take Madge out after she broke up with Cato and he's definitely told her how beautiful she's looked regularly over the last few months. And Madge always seems to sit next to him at gatherings and has talked a lot about how proud she is of him helping to build the new Forth Road Bridge.

Maybe it's been brewing for years. Madge never liked Cressida and Gale was always cold to Cato. Could they have had feelings for each as long as that?

I'm not sure why I hadn't thought about this earlier. But then the image of the two of them kissing in my old life appears in my head and my stomach turns into knots. It's not easy to imagine the two of them together.

I know it's different this time. I'm not with Gale anymore and they haven't done anything behind my back but the thought of them being together brings back a lot of bad memories.

I go quiet and Peeta looks at me.

"I'm sorry. It's probably weird to think of your ex with your best friend," he says.

I shrug my shoulder.

"I've been over Gale for a long time," I say.

Peeta nods his head but the image of Gale and Madge kissing in my hallway doesn't leave me.

* * *

I forget about Madge and Gale for the next week as I'm busy at work but it's brought centre to my attention again when I meet Madge for coffee the following weekend. She's in good spirits and chats away and I try to look for clues about her feelings for Gale. But in the end, I don't need to. Madge is the one to bring it up.

"I want to talk to you about something because I don't want you to think I'm going behind your back," she starts.

"Okay," I say, putting my cup down.

Madge takes a deep breath as she looks me in the eye.

"Gale and I have been spending a lot of time together recently. I've always seen him as a good friend but recently things seem a bit different," she starts.

"You like him," I state.

Madge nods her head.

"I really didn't want to, Katniss. Because I know he's your ex and best friends don't go after exes but I just have such a good time when I'm with him," she says.

I can tell how much she enjoys being with him by the smile on her face. I wonder if I ever smiled like that about Gale.

"Nothing has happened between us and nothing may ever happen. I don't even know how he feels but I didn't want to lie to you," she adds.

And yet again this Madge has proven to be different from the Madge in my old life. This Madge admitted her feelings for Gale while old Madge kept them secret and ended up betraying me. I need to treat the two Madge's differently.

"You're really crazy about him, aren't you?" I say.

Madge nods her head.

"I think it's been building for a while. That's why I was never able to fall in love with Cato because there was something there with Gale," she replies.

I nod my head. I sit in silence for a long moment as I try to wrap my head around it.

"I can talk to him. I won't say we talked about it but I could test out his feelings," I say.

"You don't have to do that, Katniss. I know this must be weird for you," she says.

"I don't have any feelings for Gale. And you deserve to be happy," I say.

Madge smiles at me and reaches out to give my hand a grateful squeeze.

"Thank you. I couldn't ask for a better friend," she says.

* * *

I sit on Madge's words for the rest day but do phone Gale to arrange a session at the archery centre. I let him hit a few bullseyes before bringing it up.

"You and Madge were very close at my birthday party," I state.

Gale stops firing arrows to turn to look at me.

"Madge and I have been friends for years now," he replies.

"Only friends?" I ask.

Gale pauses and puts the bow down.

"Why are you asking me this?" he says.

"It was just something Peeta said. He wondered how long it's going to be before you and Madge admit your feelings for each other," I reply.

Gale scoffs and turns away from me but I can tell I've caught him.

"It's okay if you have feelings for her. Madge is great. Not to mention hot," I add.

Gale pulls his head back around to look at me.

"I would never ask her out. I couldn't do that to you," he says.

"Why not? We've been over for years and I love Peeta. You dating Madge isn't going to hurt me," I reply.

He looks at me silently for a long moment, not quite believing what I'm saying. I take a step closer to him and give his arm a squeeze.

"You think it could be something good, don't you?" I say.

Gale nods his head.

"I haven't felt this way about someone since you," he replies.

"Then ask her out. I know she'd say yes," I say.

Gale is quiet for a moment again but gives me a grateful smile.

"You may be the best ex-girlfriend a guy can have," he says.

I laugh and step back. I want the Gale in this life to be happy and only wish we had figured these things out the first time.

We don't talk about Madge for the rest of the session but I feel okay about what I did. I get a text later from Madge that night and I even smile when I see it.

 _Thank you_ _xxx_

* * *

 **A/N: I know a lot of people were eager for the start of Gadge so will be relieved they have finally asked each other out. It's taken them long enough!**

 **Thanks to everyone who reads and reviews this story. I value everyone's feedback and take it into consideration when I'm writing the next chapter.**


	10. Chapter 10: August 2013

**A/N: We've got a big time jump in this chapter and it takes place 15 months after the events of the last chapter so there are a lot of changes since we last caught up with the characters. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 10

 _August 2013_

Peeta works carefully at our new kitchen counter and I smile as I go up behind him and wrap my arms around his middle. I place a kiss on his shoulder and give him a little squeeze.

"We have enough food, Peeta. Put down the knife and come and get a drink," I say as I nuzzle his shoulder.

Peeta picks up one of my hands around his waist and puts a kiss on it but he doesn't step away from the counter.

"I don't think there is ever enough food when you are around," he teases.

I gently thump him in the side and he chuckles before finally putting down the knife and turning to face me.

"I'm surprised you haven't tried to sneak any canapes already," he adds.

I want to scowl but can't. He knows me too well.

"I was going to use Prim in a minute to act as a distraction so I could swipe some," I reply with a smile.

Peeta laughs again before ducking down and placing a soft kiss on my lips. We only pull back as Prim enters.

"I think I have got everything valuable and fragile locked away. You know with Bristel coming nothing is safe," she says.

I smile as I turn to face her.

"Thanks for helping set up," I say.

"I don't mind," Prim replies "Besides, it means I get the first pick of Peeta's food."

Peeta grins broadly.

"Clearly being greedy runs in the Everdeen family," he teases.

We all laugh and then Peeta steps away from me to grab a small wine bag hidden under the table.

"We're really grateful with everything you have done to help with the move. Here's something to show our thanks," he says.

Prim takes the bag off him and peers inside to find a bottle of prosecco. She grins as she pulls it out.

"You know me so well," she says. "But I'm just so excited for you both buying this flat!"

Peeta and I turn to share a smile. After over a year of living together we decided to take the plunge and buy a flat of our own. We both had been steadily saving after we graduated uni and when Peeta's granny left him some money in her will it seemed the perfect time to find a place we could completely call our own.

We've been living in the flat for a month now and finally managed to unpack all the boxes and give the whole place a new lick of paint. Tonight we are hosting a flat warming party to show it off to all our friends.

"We certainly love it. And I'm so glad we get to use our balcony tonight," I reply.

"The balcony is pretty great," Prim says. "Do you need me to do anything else? What are you doing for music?"

"Rye helped me create a playlist earlier in the week. If you find my laptop you can get the music started," Peeta replies.

Prim nods her head and I follow her through the bedroom to get Peeta's laptop. Prim picks it up and tucks it under her arm.

"Are you okay about Rye coming tonight? I know it's been a while since you've seen him," I say.

"Yeah. I don't think I've seen him since last year. We've both been good at making sure we're not at the same events," Prim replies.

I nod my head. It took a while but Prim finally got over Peeta's brother. After he gave her chlamydia last year, Prim cut off all contact and deleted his number. After Peeta spoke to Rye about giving Prim the space she needed to get over him Rye stopped trying to chase her and respected her decision to stop calling him. He even wrote her a heartfelt apology letter admitting his faults and expressing regret for treating her badly. They have run into each other a couple of times since but he has always been very civil. And now Prim is dating someone new and seems to be happy again.

"It's been over a year now. I know I'm strong enough to deal with him," she says.

I smile and give her a hug.

"Rye seems to have grown up these last couple of months. He's even looking for a proper job now. I think you are both in better places," I reply.

Prim nods her head in agreement.

"He was my first love so is always going to have part of my heart but we were both too fiery for each other. It was exhausting arguing all the time. It's why I like Darius. He's just so laid back and lets things slide. I feel more relaxed when I'm with him," she says.

"Good," I reply. "Now I think it's time we all got a drink."

Prim smiles and nods her head eagerly.

"What's taken you so long to ask?" she replies.

* * *

We're half way through our first drink when the buzzer goes and Peeta and I stand side by side as we greet the first guests. Much to our surprise Gale and Madge are the first to arrive.

"Happy flat warming!" Madge exclaims.

She pulls both Peeta and I in for a hug while Gale stands back holding a neatly wrapped present in his hands. When Madge steps back he reaches out to give us the gift.

"You can probably tell Madge wrapped it. It's a cocktail making set," he says.

"You are terrible at surprises, Gale," Madge gently scolds. "I knew about my surprise birthday party six weeks in advance!"

Gale casually shrugs his shoulder as he pulls Madge in by the waist.

"But surely that shows I just find it difficult to lie to you," he says with a smile.

"And I'm grateful for that," she replies.

Madge smiles softly up at him and then reaches up to give him a gentle kiss. She then tucks into his side.

"I'm just grateful that your relationship with Gale actually makes you on time for things," I add.

Gale chuckles and Madge rolls her eyes.

"We would have been late if we had my way. But Gale didn't want to get his shirt crinkled," Madge replies.

"I said I would make it up to you later," Gale says suggestively.

Peeta and I laugh while Madge's eyes twinkle with anticipation. Prim comes through from the living room to find out what is taking so long.

"Are you all just going to leave me to drink alone?" Prim asks.

We all turn to her with a smile and step further into the house.

"Sorry, Prim. We can't have that," Gale says. He then turns to face Madge. "What do you want to drink? A gin and tonic?"

"We also have a dozen bottles of prosecco people have already given us for moving in," I say.

"I think I'll start with prosecco and move onto gin later. Too many glasses of prosecco give me a headache the next day," Madge replies.

"Whatever you want. You go and catch up with the girls while I go and get it," Gale says.

Madge smiles gratefully at him and Gale places a lingering kiss on her temple before following Peeta into the kitchen to get the drink for his girlfriend. Madge watches him with a smile as he goes.

I'm now totally used to these displays of affection between my best friend and ex-boyfriend. It was strange at first but no one can deny how happy the two of them look together. Their whole relationship seems to be moving at break neck speed and Gale moved in with Madge after only six months. But they complement each other so well. I've seen Madge calm Gale down with a simple touch when he rants about the polarising Scottish independence referendum and he quashes her more spoilt tendencies. I have to admit that she loves him in a way I never could.

Madge, Prim and I move into the living room and Madge coos over the recent additions to the room. Gale and Peeta soon come back to join us and we both settle into out boyfriends' sides. I feel like we are both now with the right people.

Our flat soon fills up with friends, family and work colleagues. People spill out onto the balcony and into the spare bedroom. Prim's new boyfriend, Darius, arrives and she immediately pulls him out onto the balcony to show him the view of the Pentland hills.

Rye appears too and I greet him with a warm smile. I find it easier to interact with him now that he is no longer hurting my sister.

"Glad you could make it," I say.

Peeta appears to hand his brother a beer.

"You know I won't miss a party. Even took a night off work to come to this," he says with a smile.

"We feel very honoured," Peeta replies.

Rye chuckles but then Prim and Darius appear as they leave the balcony. Both Prim and Rye freeze when they see each other but Prim is the quickest to react and makes her way over.

"It's been a long time, Rye," she says once she has approached.

Rye nods his head and stuffs his hands in his pocket.

"It has. I haven't even said congratulations for graduating uni. When do you start in the hospital?" he asks.

"Next month. It's kind of scary but I'm ready to get paid for all those shifts I do in the hospital," she replies.

A small smile spreads across Rye's face and he shakes his head. I wonder if he is remembering how much tension Prim's placement shifts caused when they were together.

"You'll be a great nurse. I know how good you are with people that need your help," he says.

Prim smiles gratefully at him but Darius clears his throat to remind them of his presence. Prim snaps her attention away from Rye to turn to her current boyfriend.

"Sorry. I've been so rude. Rye, this Darius, my boyfriend," Prim says with a smile.

Peeta had told Rye that Prim was dating someone new and that he would be here tonight but it is difficult to know how someone will react when faced with their ex's new lover.

Rye steps forward to give Darius his hand and Darius shakes it.

"Good to meet you," Rye says. "Peeta says you are a cop. Any good stories to tell?"

Prim looks between them carefully but I meant what I said earlier about Rye growing up. He's just being civil and isn't going to do anything to embarrass her.

"We got a call last week from someone who found a snake in their car's exhaust. Apparently their neighbour's pet snake escaped but he didn't tell anyone. My partner almost pissed his pants at the sight of it," Darius replies politely.

Rye nods his head but doesn't want to dwell long here.

"That would have been me. I can't even look at snakes on TV," he says. "Anyway, it was nice seeing you but I see Bristel over there. I'm going to catch up with him."

Everyone nods their heads and Prim and Darius step aside to let Rye pass. Once he has, Prim lets out a sigh of relief and I swoop in beside her.

"That wasn't too bad," I say.

Prim nods her head.

"It doesn't hurt me to see him anymore. And for you and Peeta's shake that's a good thing!" she replies.

I nod my head in agreement and give her a little squeeze before we turn to join in the conversation with Peeta and Darius.

I make the effort the speak to everyone at the party and it's great having everyone I care about in one place. Madge finds me and Rue later and shakes her head.

"Gale has just found a yes voter and is lecturing him on the reasons why Scotland shouldn't become independent. I don't have the energy to try and stop him tonight," Madge says.

I smile sympathetically and feel like going over to Gale to tell him not to worry. The no voters will win next autumn and Scotland will remain part of the UK for a while longer.

"I have some boy chat to help distract you," Rue says. "I have a date next week."

This grabs Madge's attention and she looks at Rue eagerly.

"Is this the guy from cooking class?" Madge asks.

Rue nods her head with a big smile on her face.

"Yeah. His name is Blight and he's taking me to that new gin bar on Lothian Road. I'm not sure if we have that much in common but he's hot as hell," she replies.

Madge smiles brightly and fires off more questions but the name of her date jars me. In my old life Rue fell in love with a guy called Thom. He worked for his father's construction company and was the sweetest man I ever met but he also loved an adventure. He absolutely doted on Rue and I was jealous of how much better their marriage was to mine and Gale's. Surely Rue should have met him by now.

And then it hits me. Rue should have met him last summer. I remember now because we were in the pub during the London Olympics and Thom got so excited when Mo Farah won the 10,000m that he knocked his pint all over Rue. That was how they met.

But last summer Rue wasn't in Edinburgh. She was in Ghana volunteering in the school she helped build and raise money for. She wasn't in the pub with us when Mo Farah won.

I suddenly realise that my meddling in Rue's life this time around has meant she hasn't met the man I know is perfect for her. I was the one that convinced her to go on her around the world travels and that led her to Ghana. She hasn't met Thom because of me.

I can't shake that thought for the rest of the evening. I may be enjoying my new life but that doesn't mean it's better for everyone. I need to make this right for Rue. She deserves to meet Thom.

A quick facebook stalk the next day reveals that Thom is still in Edinburgh and working for his dad but the rest of his profile is private and I can't tell if he's found a different girlfriend instead. I can't just randomly message him stating I know the perfect girl for him. He doesn't know me yet so I need to come up with another way.

The idea eventually comes to me in the middle of the week as I walk past a pub in town. It was Thom's favourite in my old life and he would regularly go there to drink and watch the football. Hopefully he still goes in this life. I will drag Rue along as many times it is needed to "accidently" bump into him.

I call both Madge and Rue up at the weekend and suggest we go. Neither turn down an evening of drinking and we all meet up there on Saturday evening.

The pub is reasonably busy when we arrive but we do manage to find a small booth in the corner. I strain my neck around to try and catch a glimpse of Thom but I don't see him on first arrival.

"Gin and tonics everyone?" Madge asks.

I absentmindedly nod my head as I continue to scan the bar.

"Definitely. I need it after the first week back at school!" Rue exclaims.

Madge smiles and offers to go and get the first round. We agree but I say I will help her at the bar. Hopefully I'll have a better vantage point from there.

Madge squeezes her way to the bar and I search the sea of faces around us. Madge orders and then turns to me with a frown.

"Are you looking for someone? I thought it was just us three tonight," Madge says.

I snap my head back to her and curse myself for being so obvious.

"No. I just thought I saw someone from work. But I don't think it's him," I reply.

Madge nods her head and the barman comes back with our drinks. I vow to be more sly for the rest of the night.

But Thom doesn't appear that night and I find that I don't fully enjoy the evening as a result. Madge and Rue chatter through the night about work and family stuff and Rue admits that the date with Blight wasn't great as he had so little chat but she's seeing him again because it's been a while since she's had any action. Her comments just make me more determined to find Thom.

For the next three weeks I suggest we go to the same place. Sometimes I invite the boys and sometimes Prim but there is still no sign of Thom. By our fifth visit I can tell the girls are getting fed up with me.

"Why do we have to keep coming here? I kind of fancy cocktails," Madge says.

"The drink is cheap and we always get a seat here," I reply.

Madge sighs but does nod her head. We slide into a table and I go up to get our first round. I hand over the money to the barman and just as I am about to turn and go back to the girls I see him enter.

My heart stops at the sight of his brown hair and kind smile. He goes over to stand with a group of friends by the big screen. There are a couple of girls there but none seem to be with him. It takes all my self-control to not do a silly victory dance by the bar.

I smile brightly as the barman hands me my change and I then pick up the glasses to take them back to the girls.

"Here you go. Let's have a great night!" I declare.

Rue raises her eyebrow at me.

"You're suddenly in a good mood. Peeta hasn't just sent you a picture of his dick as he?" she asks.

I laugh and shake my head.

"No. But I did just buy new underwear for him," I reply.

"Nice. Is that all you are going to be wearing when he gets back from work tonight?" Madge asks.

"Maybe," I reply with a suggestive glint.

The girls smile and I turn back to check on Thom. I have to bide my time for a bit. I can't go up to him as soon as he's come in.

"I've got some boy news of my own," Madge says. She then pauses to make sure we've got her full attention. "I found Gale looking at engagement rings last night."

I almost spit out my gin and tonic as she says this and Rue raises her eyebrows in surprise.

"Really?" Rue asks.

Madge nods her head.

"The idiot didn't close the browser on his ipad so it was the first thing I saw when I was borrowing it. I told you he can't keep a secret," she replies.

I shake my head in disbelief. Gale didn't even get me a ring before he proposed. Once Hunter was born he suggested that we get married and then we picked out a ring the next day. I may be okay with him and Madge being together but it's bizarre thinking of him picking out rings for another girl.

"Did you say anything to him?" I ask.

"I felt I had to. It's a big deal," she says.

"Have you talked about it before?" Rue asks.

"Only in passing when we've watched _Don't tell the Bride_ on TV. And I've sort of known from the moment we moved into together that he was it for me. But I didn't think he was thinking about it already," Madge replies.

I nod my head, still a little stunned we're having this conversation.

"It is quite quick. You've been going out for just over a year. Peeta and I have been going out for two and a half years and we're not even thinking about marriage at the moment," I say.

"I know. That's what I thought too. But then I realised every relationship is different and has different paces. Things just feel so right with Gale," Madge replies.

I nod my head and realise she's probably right. I love Peeta and know he is right for me but I haven't thought about marriage because of my bad experience in my old life.

"So would you say yes if he asked you now?" Rue asks.

A slow smiles spreads across Madge's face as she nods her head.

"I told him I wanted to buy a flat together first. But after that I would say yes," she replies.

I smile back at her. They've been looking at flats to buy for a couple of months now. It wouldn't surprise me if they put an offer on something soon and got engaged before the end of the year.

"That's great news," I say.

"You really think so?" Madge asks.

I nod my head.

"He loves you more than he ever loved me. I think you are perfect for each other," I reply.

Madge smiles gratefully at me and then leans across to give me a hug. I am honestly happy for both of them.

Madge's announcement momentarily distracts me from my quest with Rue and Thom but I begin to formulate a plan to bring them together in the bar. After I finish my first gin and tonic I get up to go to the toilet and make sure I pass Thom on my way past. I see an opening and take a deep breath before stepping towards him.

"Hi. I don't mean to be too forward but do you happen to be single?" I ask him.

Thom turns to me with a look of slight surprise.

"I am. Though I'm not used to girls coming up to me in pubs," he replies.

"I'm not asking for me but I'm sitting with my friends and one of them finds you really attractive," I say.

Thom raises his eyebrow intrigued and I point in the direction of our table.

"She's the one with the short dark hair. She would kill me if she knew what I was doing but I promise she is a great girl," I add.

I see interest in Thom's eye as he looks over her appreciatively.

"She pretty," he replies.

I nod my head.

"And smart. And adventurous and incredibly generous. She's travelled all around the world so I promise at the very least you'll get interesting conversation," I say.

Thom keeps his eyes on her and I know I have got him hooked.

"She sounds fascinating," he says.

"She is. It would be great if you came over to introduce yourself," I reply.

Thom finally turns back to me.

"You don't know anything about me. I could have just got out of jail for all you know. Do you really trust me with your friend?" he asks.

"Let's just say it's gut instinct that you are a nice guy," I say with a smile.

Thom looks back to Rue and I know he will come over.

"Okay. Maybe I will come over," he says.

I smile broadly.

"Great! I'll hopefully see you soon," I reply.

Thom nods his head and I carry on my way to the toilet. When I get back to the girls I see that Thom is still looking at us. It doesn't take him long after that to come over.

Madge and Rue are in the middle of a conversation when he approaches and he clears his throat to grab our attention. Madge and Rue turn to him with slightly bewildered looks but I just smile.

"Sorry to interrupt but I'm Thom and I was wondering if I could buy you a drink?" he asks Rue.

Rue looks surprised and turns to see if he's talking about someone else. When she realises he is really asking her she turns to look at Madge and me. I nod my head in encouragement and Madge mouths "He's hot!". After a moment of reflection, Rue turns back to him.

"Sure. Let me help you at the bar," she says.

Thom beams and gives his hand to help Rue up. I watch them go with a satisfied smile. Madge turns to me with an excited glint in her eye.

"Oh my God! I didn't think guys still came up to girls in pubs. I hope he's a nice guy," she says.

"I have a feeling he is," I reply.

I then turn to look at Rue and Thom at the bar and see that they are already laughing together. When Rue does come back she has a massive grin on her face. Both Madge and I sit forward eagerly.

"Well?" Madge asks.

"I gave him my number. He seemed really sweet and asked lots of questions about me. He's just come back from walking the West Highland Way and seemed eager to travel," she replies.

"He already sounds like he has more in common with you than Blight did," I say.

Rue nods her head while Madge asks more questions. Rue can't stop smiling as she answers them and keeps looking back to catch Thom's eye. I sit back, pleased with a job well done.

We stay for a little longer but then Gale comes to pick Madge up and I decide to take up his offer for a lift as well. Rue decides to stay on and goes over to speak to Thom again.

Peeta is still not back from work when I get back to the flat so I decide to do what Madge suggested earlier and wait for him in the new underwear I bought. It's a soft orange set that closely matches Peeta's favourite colour.

I stretch out on the bed and play about on my iphone until I hear the click in the lock. I put down the phone and sit in what I hope is a seductive position. Peeta sighs as puts his keys in the bowl and then looks up to spy me through the open bedroom door. He gives me a tired smile as he walks through and then collapses on top of me, burying his head in between my breasts.

"This is exactly what I needed to come home to," he says.

I frown as I run my hand through his curls.

"Was it a hard day at work?" I ask.

Peeta props his chin up on my chest and sighs again.

"I got into another argument with the owner," he says.

"Did he not like your menu suggestions?" I ask.

Peeta nods his head.

"He says that everyone enjoys the food so the menu doesn't need to be changed," Peeta says.

I smile at him sympathetically as I continue to stroke through his hair.

"It's just so frustrating! I have no creative control. It's times like this that I wish I owned my own restaurant so I could cook the food I actually like," he continues.

"Then why don't you?" I ask.

I know from my previous life how demoralising it is to be in a job that doesn't fulfil you. I don't want that for Peeta.

"We can't afford it, Katniss. Maybe if we hadn't bought the flat I could have done it but I just don't have the cash at the moment," he replies.

I feel guilty that his wish can't be a reality because of the flat we bought together.

"I'm sorry that the flat is stopping you from having your own restaurant," I say.

Peeta grips onto my waist and shakes his head fiercely.

"No. Don't be. I love our flat and I love you. That's the most important thing," he says.

I smile but am not sure I entirely agree with him. Peeta sighs again as he puts his head on my chest.

"Sorry for moaning about work. I just needed to vent," he says.

"I don't mind. It's part of my job as your girlfriend to listen to your moans," I say with a smile.

Peeta twists his head round to smile at me. I then pull his head up to me.

"And now I can cheer you up by doing one of my other jobs as your girlfriend," I say with a suggestive smile.

I bring my lips up to kiss him. Peeta's grip on my waist tightens and then his hands slide up to cup my breasts. I sigh in content but want this to be about him. I break away just long enough to flip him over and remove his shirt.

"You just lie back and enjoy," I say.

Peeta smiles back at me as I kiss a trail down his bare chest. I make sure to spend longer around his nipples as I swirl my tongue over them. Peeta's head buries further into the pillow and I continue my trail down. I sit up when I reach his belt buckle and slowly pull his jeans and boxers down his legs. His semi-erect dick springs free and I use my hand to make him fully hard.

"Remember I am always here when you have a bad day," I say.

Peeta groans in reply as I slowly lower my head down towards him. I grip the base of his dick in one hand and then bend to lick the entire length of the underside of his cock. My tongue swirls around the top of him and then makes its way back down the other side. Peeta squirms as I repeat this motion a couple of more times and then pause just briefly before engulfing as much of his hard length as possible.

I hollow my cheeks as I begin to suck with earnest and Peeta weaves his hands into my hair. He gently starts thrusting into my mouth and I slide a hand down to his base so I can work the area I can't reach with my mouth.

I then move my hand to fondle with his balls. Peeta curses and I release him for a moment to take a deep breath before plunging back down. I'm relentless this time, sucking him hard and squeezing his balls. Peeta's hips move more erratically on the bed and his grip on my hair gets tighter. I know he is close and up my efforts even further. After I run my tongue over his slit, he lets out a loud moan and I brace myself for him to unload. It only takes a couple more sucks for him to spurt into my mouth and I make sure I take it all, swallowing every last drop.

Once I have sucked him dry, Peeta's hands fall from my hair and he breathes heavily. I smile as I pull away and crawl up his body. Peeta smiles at me tiredly and places a kiss on my head.

"Thank you," he says.

I smile back at him and snuggle into his chest. I'm glad I have temporarily made him feel better but know he still has to go into work tomorrow and work with a guy that refuses any change. For the first time since we bought the flat, I wonder if it was the right decision.


	11. Chapter 11: October 2014

**A/N: Another big time jump in this chapter and some couples have made big strides in their relationship.**

 **Thanks to everyone that has let me know they are still enjoying the story.**

* * *

Chapter 11

 _October 2014_

There is a lot of hustle and bustle in the hotel room. Rue sits in a corner as someone finishes up her make-up. Gale's mum, Hazel, wanders around the room making sure that everyone's glass is topped up with champagne and the photographer gets in everyone's way as he tries to snap candid pictures of the pre-wedding ceremony preparations. Poor Mr Undersee stands in the corner looking terrified as he wife tries to keep everyone on track.

"Madge, sweetie, you really need to get the dress on. I know you are notorious for being late but this is the one day I won't accept it," Mrs Undersee says.

Madge just smiles as she thanks the hairdresser for doing her hair and gets up to go to her mum. She gently takes both of her mum's hands and smiles brightly.

"Thank you," she says. "Will you help me put it on."

Mrs Undersee smiles fondly at her daughter and strokes her cheek with a trembling hand. Planning the wedding has helped Mrs Undersee distract herself from her MS symptoms but they are always there.

"You are going to look stunning," she replies.

Madge squeezes her mum's hand and then they both go behind a screened area in the hotel room. I gratefully accept a top up of champagne as we all sit waiting for Madge's big reveal.

Of course I've already seen Madge in her wedding dress. As chief bridesmaid I went to the majority of the shops and had to endure Madge trying on every style of wedding dress known to man. I didn't know that there were so many options and the only thing that made it bearable was the glasses of champagne we got served while we waited for Madge to get into the dresses.

But this is the first time that I have seen Madge wearing the dress with all her hair and make-up done. Even though I have seen her in the dress a few times now I still stop and take a moment to appraise her as she steps out from behind the screen. Madge chose a lacy, long sleeved dress with a vintage style v-neck. The back is made up entirely of lace and has buttons all the way up the spine. The autumn flower crown on her head perfectly complements the country style of the dress.

Madge beams as she emerges and everyone coos over how beautiful she looks. Hazel places her hand over her chest and smiles in happiness.

"My son is definitely punching above his weight. You look absolutely gorgeous," she says.

"There are times when I felt low about my MS that I didn't think I would see this day. You've exceeded my expectations." Mrs Undersee says with a tear in her eye. "Can you believe we have such a beautiful daughter, Hamish?"

Mrs Undersee turns to her husband but Mr Undersee has been rendered mute and hastily wipes a tear from his eye. Mrs Undersee looks at him expectedly.

"Hamish, aren't you going to say anything to your daughter?" she asks.

Mr Undersee is quiet for another moment and then clears his throat before walking to Madge. He takes her hand and smiles with a pride in his eyes.

"I'm so happy for you," he says quietly.

Madge smiles back and reaches up to kiss him on his cheek. Mr Undersee squeezes her hands but then Madge's mum pushes him away to start fiddling with Madge's dress.

"Where are your shoes? We don't want you tripping on the ends," Mrs Undersee says.

"They should be in one of the bags," Madge replies.

"Katniss, go and get Madge's shoes," Mrs Undersee orders.

I'm a little slow at getting up so Mrs Undersee fires me a pointed look which forces me to jump up and scuttle to the pile of bags we brought with us. I shift through the contents of the bag but grow worried when I don't find them quickly. I get to the end of the last bag and still find no sign of them. I double check the bags again to make sure I didn't miss them but Mrs Undersee gets impatient.

"Katniss, what is taking you so long?" she barks.

"I'm sorry. I can't seem to find them," I call back.

Mrs Undersee stops fussing over Madge's dress and huffs as she comes to join me.

"Here. Let me find them," she says as she pushes me away.

But Mrs Undersee doesn't have any luck either. She lets out a frustrated groan as she finally admits defeat and throws the last bag back down.

"They must be somewhere. Everyone get looking!" she orders.

Everyone jumps to her order and we rifle through every available space to try and find them. We must search every inch of the hotel room but we still don't find them.

"This is a disaster! Madge needs shoes!" Mrs Undersee exclaims.

However Madge seems relatively calm and put a reassuring hand on her mother's arm.

"It's okay, Mum. We must have just left them at the house," Madge says.

"They are not much good to you there! I can't believe this happened. I had a list and everything!" Mrs Undersee replies.

"It's okay, Mairi. I'll go back to the house and get them. If I go straight to the church, Madge will have them to walk down the aisle," Mr Undersee says.

"You won't make it in time," Mrs Undersee says.

"Not if we spend more time talking about it," her husband replies. He then turns to Madge. "I'll see you at the church."

Madge smiles and nods her head and he leans in to kiss her cheek before dashing away.

Once he's gone Mrs Undersee seems to calm down a little.

"Everything is going to turn out fine. Why don't we get the flowers out to cheer you up," Madge suggests.

Her mum nods her head in agreement and then Madge looks at me to encourage me to get out the flowers. It was one of my jobs to pick them up from the florist and Peeta teased me for being so precious about them. But I hate to think what Mrs Undersee would have done if I had squished them.

I pull out the bouquets of orange and red flowers that match our bridesmaid dresses and begin to hand them out to everyone that needs a bunch. But Mrs Undersee's eyes widen in horror.

"These are not the flowers we ordered. I specifically said no roses!" she exclaims.

I freeze as I pass a bunch to Rue and panic I did something wrong.

"These are the ones they gave me at the shop. Look, they even have Madge's name on the box," I say pointing to the top of the open boxes.

Mrs Undersee shakes her head disapprovingly and picks up the box.

"This is not acceptable. Didn't you think to check, Katniss?" she asks.

"I didn't know what bouquets Madge picked. I saw orange and red colours and assumed it was correct," I say defensively.

"It's fine, Mum. Katniss is right. The colours still match the colour scheme. And I don't mind the roses," Madge says.

"Well we don't have much choice do we!" Mrs Undersee replies. "They say things come in threes. What else is going to go wrong now."

As if someone heard her, a phone starts to ring and Mrs Undersee picks it up.

"Hello," she states sharply.

There is then a long silence as the person on the other end begins to speak. Within seconds we can all tell the call isn't a good one as Mrs Undersee's eyes cloud with anger.

"How stupid can you be? It said in the email confirmation that we need you at St Mary's church Edinburgh, not Glasgow!" she says.

There is another silence as whoever it is tries to apologise.

"Well you won't get here in time for the ceremony now! You came highly recommended by a friend but I will be expecting our full deposit back," Mrs Undersee says.

She then abruptly ends the call and looks back at us raging.

"That was the piper. He's at the wrong church so we don't have anyone to pipe Madge and Gale out after the ceremony," she says.

"One of my nephews plays the bagpipes. I can give him a call and I'm sure he'll be happy to step in," Hazel says.

"That would be great, Hazel. Thank you," Madge says.

Hazel smiles and nods and then ducks out the room to make the call. Madge turns to her mum.

"See. There's no need to panic," Madge says.

Mrs Undersee sighs heavily and shakes her head.

"I just want this day to be perfect for you," Mrs Undersee replies.

"It will be, Mum," Madge replies.

Mrs Undersee sighs again.

"I think I need some fresh air," she says.

Madge smiles and nods and Mrs Undersee leaves the room. Once the door has closed I go up to Madge and we both sit down at the end of the bed.

"You seem remarkably calm after everything that's happened so far," I say.

Madge smiles back at me.

"I don't care what shoes or flowers I have or if I get piped out the church. I just want to marry Gale. That's the only thing that matters," she replies.

"You're not nervous at all?" I ask.

I was a bundle of nerves the day I married Gale in my old life. It was quite a quick wedding, just over a year after Hunter was born. We had no money so got married in the registry office and then had a small reception in the back garden of his parent's house. I couldn't eat any food leading up the ceremony and felt nauseous for most of the day. Looking back on it now, that nauseous feeling was trying to tell me that marrying Gale wasn't the right thing to do.

Madge smiles again and shakes her head.

"I'm not nervous at all. Gale's my best friend and I knew early on that he was it for me," she replies.

I smile back at her. She has such a different mindset to when I married Gale. I only thought about marrying Gale after Hunter was born and I thought it was the right thing to do for my son. I've seen over the last two years how much Gale and Madge are suited to each other and I'm under no doubt she will be a better wife to him than I ever was. Madge just loves him more than I ever did.

Madge reaches across and gives my hand a squeeze.

"Thank you for being so understanding about it. We wouldn't be here if you hadn't told Gale to ask me out," she says.

"I honestly don't mind. I just hope you don't mind that your maid of honour has slept with the groom," I joke.

Madge laughs and shakes her head.

"Is it weird for me to say that I don't remember what it was like when you and Gale were together? I guess I'm just so used to you being with Peeta that I can't remember the time before you weren't," she says.

I nod my head in agreement. The longer I'm with Peeta the more I forget about my old life and being with Gale.

"You've found your right person too," Madge says. "I bet it's not long before Peeta starts looking at rings."

I laugh and nod my head but the thought of Peeta looking at rings terrifies me. I know we've been together for nearly four years but I'm not ready for that. Not after what happened the last time. I only hope Peeta hasn't started looking at rings already.

* * *

We get to the church on time and Gale's cousin stands piping outside the door while Mr Undersee greets us with Madge's shoes. Gale's brother, Rory, meets me at the door and offers me his arm.

"You're lucky enough to have me escorting you today," he says.

I roll my eyes.

"I suppose you are better than Bristel. No doubt he would have stepped on my toes," I reply.

I twist to see Bristel offering his arm to Rue and bite back a laugh when I see him trip over the end of her red dress as they move into position.

"I've spent all week practising walking. And I have to say you are the best looking bridesmaid. You look great, Katniss. Between you and me, I always thought Gale was stupid to let you go" Rory says cheekily.

"We let each other go," I correct Rory. "And besides, I think we are now both with the right people."

"So you're still with that Peeta guy," Rory says. "That's a shame. Now that I am a fully employed adult I might have asked you out myself."

I shake my head.

"That charm must get you a lot of girls," I reply.

"I get a few dates. But not many that I actually want to take out on a second. I'm envious of all you couples. I love being a boyfriend," he says.

"I'm sure you'll find the right girl someday," I say.

"Oh, I don't doubt it. How's your sister by the way?" he asks.

I roll my eyes but then Mrs Undersee ushers us into position.

"Everyone remember to smile. We want good pictures!" she declares.

Madge catches my eye and shakes her head at her mother's behaviour. I laugh but even a fussy Mrs Undersee can't spoil this moment for my friend.

The bagpiper starts playing the wedding march and Rue and Gale's sister enter the church with their escorts. I take Rory's arm and we walk in together. Gale stands at the alter looking very smart in his kilt. He doesn't show any sign of nerves and bounces on his feet excitedly as he waits for Madge to come in. He catches my eye briefly and we share a smile before I search the seats for Peeta. It doesn't take me long to find his big blue eyes staring at me in awe as he sits beside Thom. I smile back and give him a wink as I walk past. Peeta's grin broadens and he blows me a kiss in return. I laugh before I turn my attention back to the front. Once we get to the alter, I turn just in time so see Madge enter. Her and Gale's eyes lock immediately and I don't think I have ever seen two smiles so wide. In that moment I couldn't be happier for them.

* * *

The reception is held at the National Museum of Scotland and the food is good and the speeches are funny. Gale and Madge don't stop looking at each other throughout the meal and they don't seem to part until the ceilidh dancing.

I eagerly get up to join the dancing as soon as the ceilidh band start but a strong pair of arms wrap around me from behind before I can get there.

"Finally, I get to spend some time with you," Peeta murmurs as he nuzzles his nose into my neck.

I smile as I sink back into his arms. With all the official wedding photographs and the fact that there wasn't room for partners at the top table, I haven't seen as much of him as I would like.

"Rory definitely isn't a good a date as you," I reply.

Peeta smiles against my neck and then spins me round so he can kiss me. The kiss is deep and reaches all the way down to my toes. I grasp onto the lapels of his jacket tightly as I kiss him back and savour the feel of him in my arms.

Peeta smiles as we pull apart and then places a kiss on my nose.

"Thom certainly didn't give me kisses like that as my date," he replies.

I laugh and wrap my arms around his middle. All my meddling with Thom worked and he and Rue are as happy together as they were in my first life. He and Peeta have struck up quite a strong friendship and Rue and I have gone on a few doubles dates where the boys end up ignoring us for a while as they challenge each other to some new game.

"You didn't set anything on fire this time?" I say.

On the last double date we went on Thom ended up accidently setting a napkin on fire when he knocked over a candle during a rather energetic game of darts.

Peeta grins at me.

"All of Gale and Madge's decorations are in one piece," he replies.

I laugh and then Peeta steps away to offer me his hand.

"Now will you let me have this dance?" he asks.

I smile and nod as I let him lead me onto the dance floor.

I dance until my feet get sore and then find a seat while Peeta goes to get me a drink. As soon as I sit down Prim bounds over to me.

"You need to get to the gym more. Normally you would have lasted another three dances!" she exclaims.

"I blame Peeta and all the food he feeds me," I reply.

"You can't blame Peeta. We all know you have no self-control. That's why you guys went through a whole pack of condoms in two days when you first started dating," she says.

"Like you are any better. You always hook up with exes a few weeks after you dump them," I say.

"I've only done that with Rye and Darius," Prim replies.

"Which are two out of your three exes," I point out.

Prim playfully punches me on the arm but we are interrupted by Gale coming over to sit with us.

"Hello, Everdeens. Thank you for coming today," he says.

"Thanks for putting on a great party," Prim replies. "Though you two must be the friendliest exes I know. I will not be inviting Rye or Darius to my wedding."

"I think it makes things easier when we both come to the realisation that we are not right for each other," I reply.

"I know. Can you imagine the arguments we would have had if we stayed together? We both have too similiar," Gale adds.

I laugh along with him but remember some of the fights we had in my old life. By the end that was the only way we could communicate with each other. I'm so relieved we've found better people this time around.

"It'll be you next, Catnip. I'm surprised Peeta hasn't proposed to you already. You two are the most in love couple I know," Gale says.

I try to smile but hate that this is the second time marriage has been brought up today. Peeta and I are happy just the way we are. Why do people keep trying to tell us where we are heading next?

"I don't think Peeta and I can compete with you and your wife today," I reply.

Gale grins broadly before turning to look at Madge. He looks at her like he is the luckiest man alive.

But his attention is turned away when Rory bounds up.

"Come on, brother. You and me are doing shots," he says.

Gale shakes his head.

"Not tonight. I actually want to do certain things with my wife this evening and I don't want to be passed out drunk before those things happen," Gale replies.

"And just wait until you see the new underwear she's bought," I say with a smile.

Rory sighs.

"Just because you're married doesn't mean you are allowed to get boring," Rory says.

Gale smiles and pats his brother on the back.

"Don't worry, Rory. As soon as we get back from the honeymoon we can have a boys' night out," he says.

"I'll suppose I'll wait until then," Rory sighs. He then turns to me and Prim. "Can I tempt either of you two instead?"

"I'm in," Prim say leaning closer to Rory. "I'm a tequila girl."

"My ideal woman," Rory replies. "I'll get the first round."

Prim grins back at him and Rory takes her hand as he leads her to the bar. Peeta finally comes back with my drink and looks on surprised at Rory and Prim.

"Is that Prim going off with Rory? Does Prim have something for the brothers of guys you've dated?" Peeta asks.

I laugh.

"Rory and Rye are pretty similar. Though Rory doesn't have a history of cheating," I reply.

"Yep. I can't defend my brother on that," Peeta says. He then turns to Gale. "Congratulations, mate. I'm really happy for you both."

Gale thanks him and we chat and laugh together until Mrs Undersee comes over and scolds Gale for not mingling with more of the guests. Peeta and I re-join the ceilidh dancing and I have the most fun I've ever had at a wedding.

The music finally stops at midnight and I notice Prim and Rory exchanging numbers as the evening draws to a close. After the shots they spent the entire night together and it was good to see my sister laughing so much. I hope it might be the start of a good thing.

Peeta and I go up to our flat and I collapse on the end of the bed and take off my shoes.

"I think that final strip the willow killed my feet," I say as I rub the balls of my feet.

Peeta laughs and takes off his jacket before coming to join me on the bed.

"It was a good wedding though. Are the sore feet worth it?" he asks.

I smile as I lean my head against his shoulder.

"Probably. Madge and Gale looked so happy," I reply.

Peeta nods his head and then there is a short pause.

"Do you ever want to get married?" he asks.

At first I freeze, annoyed this question has followed me around today but eventually pull my head off to look at him.

"Why are you asking?" I reply.

I'm still not ready to have this conversation. How can I explain to him that the reason I haven't thought of marriage is because the marriage I had in my first life was so bad? I love Peeta so much and I know our relationship is different from the one I had with Gale but a small part of me is terrified that I'm not cut out for marriage and will ruin things again.

Peeta shrugs his shoulder and runs his thumb over my knuckles.

"Because we've never talked about it and now I'm scared that it's because you don't want that with me," he says.

My heart breaks when I hear him doubt us, doubt me. I grab his hand tightly and force him to look at me.

"Don't ever think it's to do with you. I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you," I start.

Peeta lets out a sigh of relief and I give his hand a squeeze.

"I'm different from Madge in that I never imagined my wedding as a little girl. Getting married has never been one of my priorities and I'm scared that getting married will change things," I say.

Peeta nods his head.

"I can understand that. It's a big commitment and that can be scary but I think we're in a really good place," he says.

"We're in a great place. That's why it scares me so much. I don't want things to change," I say.

Peeta nods again.

"I don't think it would change us that much. We already live together and you are the most important person in my life," he replies.

"Maybe. But if it doesn't change things then why would we even need to do it?" I ask.

Peeta gives me a small smile.

"A good point," he says.

I reach out to take his hand to try and reassure him how much I love him. Peeta gives it a little squeeze before speaking again.

"And what about kids? Do you want them?" he asks.

"Yes," I reply quickly.

After my hesitance over the marriage question it surprises Peeta that I answer so quickly. But I remember the joy of holding Hunter in my arms for the first time and the pride I felt as I watched him grow up. He was the only good thing in my old life and my heart aches as I am forced to remember him. I know I can love any child I have with Peeta but they won't be Hunter and part of me is always going to grieve that.

"Okay," Peeta says. "That's good."

I give him a small smile and he pauses to think for a moment.

"I'm not asking you right now. I still feel too young to be married but I would like to be married one day. I want what Gale and Madge had today, sharing our love with everyone we care about," he says.

And surprisingly his words suddenly make the whole thing less scary. Gale and Madge were so happy today and have now made a commitment to each other that solidifies their love for each other. I have every faith their marriage will work so why can't I have the same faith for my relationship?

"It was a great day today. It's might be nice to have that one day," I reply.

"Does that mean you are open to the idea in the future?" Peeta asks hopefully.

I smile and lean in for a kiss.

"Yes. In the future," I reply.

Peeta smiles at me and then cups my head to deepen the kiss. I grasp at his shirt collar and he pulls me into his lap.

"You might not have thought of our wedding but I have," Peeta murmurs against my skin.

I sigh as I tip my head back to grant him access to my neck. Peeta begins placing soft kisses up it and then nips at the skin by my ear.

"It would be a small wedding somewhere outside. You will be wearing a simple white dress with orange flowers in your hair. I imagine getting married at sunset and seeing your skin glow in the fading light. I would drag you behind some tree and kiss you when no one is watching," he whispers.

His hands slide up my body as he paints the picture with words. They clasp around my front to caress my breasts as I start to grind down on him. Peeta has always been good with words and as he describes it I can picture it clearly.

Peeta moves his kisses down to my shoulder and then slides the straps of my red dress down. He continues to speak in-between kisses along my collarbone as the top of the dress falls down to expose my breasts.

"And at the end of the night we'll hole up in a log cabin nearby and toast over the fire. And then we're going to make love right in front of it and I won't stop making you come until the sun has come up again," Peeta continues.

I grind down harder on him as my core gets slicker. Just the idea makes me ache for more of him. Peeta stops his words as he makes his way lower and peppers feather like kisses on my breasts. His tongue soon comes out to paint around my nipple and I weave my hands in his hair to encourage him. His tongue lavishes my nipple and he uses the other hand to gently mould and manipulate my other breast. I pant as the grip on his hair tightens and Peeta grunts softly but he doesn't stop suckling my breast.

"Please tell me you are a true Scotsman underneath that kilt today," I say.

Peeta slowly releases my breast and then places more soft kisses around the edge of my tit as he makes his way back to my collarbone.

"I'm insulted you even asked," he murmurs.

I let out a content sigh as he kisses my lips and gently lowers me back onto the bed. We kiss leisurely as hands stroke up and down each other's sides, occasionally stopping to grope more intimate places. My hand slides underneath his kilt to find him bare and hard and my thumb runs casually up his length. Peeta moans his approval and gives me a deeper kiss before peeling the rest of my bridesmaid's dress off my body.

"You looked beautiful in this dress today but it needs to come off now," he says.

I can only nod my head in agreement as my underwear soon follows the dress on the floor. Peeta's eyes sweep over me in pure adoration before he bends down for another sweet kiss. After he's pulled back he gently gestures for me to flip and I comply by turning onto all fours. Peeta leans over me and places kisses down my spine while his hands mould my arse cheeks. I moan in anticipation as his hand sweeps round my front and his thumb just catches my clit but he doesn't linger there for long.

He removes himself away from my body. I hear him work to remove his kilt and swear I can feel his stare on my naked arse as he undresses. Eventually he comes back to me, grasping his hard cock in his hand and swirls the tip around my entrance.

I groan at the contact and my arms wobble slightly. But Peeta slides one arm underneath me to hold me steady.

"Don't give out on me just yet. I'm not even inside of you," he says.

"I'm ready," I reply.

Peeta leans down to place a kiss on my ear before slowly sliding into me from behind. I let out a sigh of relief at the feel of him. Neither of us move for a moment as Peeta runs his hand over my body again and I'm content to just feel full of him.

I press my arse further into him and then Peeta starts thrusting, long and slow to begin with. The pace is sweet but builds the heat between us steadily. Beads of sweat begin to gather at the base of my neck and Peeta leans forward to kiss it away as it drips down my back.

Tonight isn't about the speed we can get each other off. It's about being connected to each other and feeling each other as long as possible. The pace doesn't pick up dramatically as Peeta continues to thrust in me but he angles his hips so that he hits my g-spot just the way I like it. I squeeze my walls around him to let him know I'm enjoying it. We both pant as my orgasm builds steadily and Peeta reaches for my hands and we tangle our fingers together. I clamp around him again and Peeta chooses this moment to pull out of me and flip me back onto my back.

I reach up to stroke a piece of his hair back before he bends down to kiss me. He slides into me again and his finger presses on my clit. I let out a muffled cry as we continue to kiss as we start moving together again and hold Peeta as close as possible. My body begins to tremble with the approaching orgasm and Peeta swallows my cries when I hit my peak. Peeta keeps moving inside of me until he too follows me into orgasmic bliss. I smile up at him as he empties inside of me and place a sweet kiss on his forehead.

"I love you. Never doubt it," I say.


	12. Chapter 12: July 2015

Chapter 12

 _July 2015_

I check my watch as I wait outside the bike shop. I'm meeting Prim and Rory and I'm excited to help them pick out new bikes. When I look back up I catch sight of my sister and her boyfriend getting off the bus. Rory laughs as they step off and Prim leans in close to his side. They don't even notice me until they have crossed the street and stand right in front of me.

"Hello. The honeymoon phase is still going strong I see," I say to them.

Prim wraps her arm around Rory's and looks up at him lovingly. It's so good to see my sister happy with a boy she loves. Part of me thought that Rye had ruined love for her but Rory has proven to be the perfect fit for Prim. He asked her out the day after Gale and Madge's wedding and it's been pretty plain sailing for them for the last eight months. Prim's grown up enough now to not argue every little thing like she did with Rye.

"Everyday this week I've come off shift at the hospital to find a message from Rory saying that he misses me," she replies.

"Can you blame me? I spend my entire day surrounded by greasy mechanics. Of course I miss my sweet smelling girlfriend," Rory says.

"I come home from the hospital most days smelling of sick and wee," Prim points out.

We all laugh and Rory places a kiss on my sister's temple.

"It doesn't matter to me," he says.

Prim smiles happily and then faces me.

"Our loved up status is one of the reasons we are getting these bikes. We've definitely put weight on since we've started dating," she says. "We spend too many nights in watching Netflix and eating crisps and I want to look good in my bikini when we go to Croatia next month."

"It's hard to resist salt and vinegar Pringles," Rory adds. "Though all the guys at my work are calling me a traitor for trading in my car for a bike. I don't think there are many car mechanics that cycle to work."

I laugh and shake my head.

"Sorry I have got you into trouble. I just thought it was all my nagging about saving the environment that convinced you to get bikes," I say.

"That is the other reason we are getting these bikes. I just want you to shut up about your _Bike to Work_ scheme," Prim says.

I smile triumphantly. I've been in charge of promoting the _Bike to Work_ scheme at work for the last few years and have been trying to convince as many of my friends and family to take it up as possible. The scheme allows you to get up to £1000 of bike and equipment through your employer. You pay for the equipment through a salary reduction that allows you to pay off your bike over a twelve-month period.

"I promise you won't regret it. Attitudes to cycling are rapidly changing. My company has now made sure that every child attending an Edinburgh state school knows how to ride a bike by the time they are twelve. My goal is to have more bikes than cars on the road," I say.

"You can stop pitching to us. We're at the shop now," Prim replies with a smile.

I smile back at her.

"Okay. I'll stop. But I will say one last thing. Cycling is a great date idea. Peeta and I take our bikes out most weekends in the summer and have found lots of awesome places," I say.

"Well Prim and I do model our relationship on you guys," Rory says cheekily. "Clearly bike rides are the way to keep a five-year relationship fresh."

"It's even better when we find a place secluded enough to make out in," I reply with a smile.

Prim and Rory laugh and then Prim tugs on Rory's hand.

"Let's hurry up and get into the shop. That way Rory and I can find our own secluded place to make out in afterwards," Prim says.

Rory grins broadly and then dips down to give Prim a quick kiss before we head inside the store.

I talk through all the bike options they have and they both seem genuinely excited at the prospect of cycling to work every day. Prim clutches her delivery order giddily as we walk out the shop.

"It's such a nice day that I wish we could have ridden our bikes back to the flat," she says.

"They'll be here tomorrow. We can look up cycle routes when we get back," Rory says.

Prim nods her head excitedly and then steps away from Rory to give me a hug.

"Thanks for helping us out today. Maybe next week we can take our bikes and go on a double date," she says.

"I'll check Peeta's work schedule. Enjoy your bike, Little Duck," I reply.

Rory's ears prick up when he hears me use Prim's childhood nickname.

"Little Duck? You never told me you had a nickname. That's so cute!" he says.

Prim throws me a hard glare.

"I won't forgive you for this," she says.

I laugh and Rory grins wider.

"No. Don't blame Katniss. I love you, my Little Duck," Rory says.

Prim rolls her eyes and Rory ducks down to give Prim a quick kiss. She softens slightly but Rory doesn't let her forget what he has just learned. I watch them leave with a smile on my face.

* * *

Later that night we all gather at the restaurant Peeta' works in. Peeta managed to convince the owner of the restaurant to team up with a new brand of gin and the restaurant is hosting a gin party to launch the partnership.

I sneak into the kitchen to see Peeta before the main events kick off. It always amazes me how intense Peeta looks while cooks. It's so opposite from the kind smiles he shares the rest of the time. He barks off orders as I enter and I stand by the door to let him finish. When he does, he turns to catch my eye and gives me one of his warm smiles. I push off the door to go and meet him.

"I see your stealth has allowed you to sneak in again," Peeta says.

"You know I would do anything for free food," I say as I swipe a chocolate stick from the dessert preparation area.

"And here I thought you were coming to see me," Peeta replies.

"You're an added bonus," I reply with a smile.

Peeta laughs and I reach up to stroke a sweaty curl off his face.

"I just wanted to wish you luck. I know you have a lot riding on this," I say.

Peeta captures my hand and then places a kiss on the back of it.

"I really hope this works. This is the first time the owner has taken on one of my suggestions and it's my head on the chopping block if it goes wrong," he says.

I give his hand a squeeze.

"I believe in you. And gin is the in drink at the moment. You've combined two of Scottish people's favourite things," I reply.

Peeta smiles gratefully at me.

"Thank you," Peeta says softly. "But I can already hear you stomach grumbling. I'll let you get back to your table so you can eat the bread while the others decide their menu choices."

I smile broadly up at him before stepping on my toes and giving him a quick kiss on the lips. Someone then shouts over to Peeta and he turns to help out before I dash out the kitchen.

Madge and Gale have finally arrived when I get back and Madge gives me a wicked smile.

"Is the food in the kitchen still hygienic enough to eat or does the whole kitchen need to be dosed down after your tryst with Peeta?" she says.

"Peeta and I respect our workplaces. We keep things PG rated, unlike some people I know," I say raising my eyebrow at her.

Madge laughs.

"No one else was in the office that day. It really wasn't that scandalous," Madge replies.

"It was still pretty good," Gale says, squeezing his wife's hand. "Until I rolled onto that paperweight."

Everyone laughs and I shake my head.

Our attention is then drawn away by the owner of the restaurant getting up to make a speech about his partnership with the gin company. The gin distiller then gets up to say his piece and everyone cheers as a free round of gin and tonics is handed out.

Rue eagerly accepts our drinks as they pass round the table and grins at me.

"Tell Peeta this is the best idea he has ever had," she says.

I smile as I take the drink off her and everyone raises their glasses.

"To Peeta!" Thom says.

"Peeta!" we all chant back.

We all enjoy our gin and tonics as the waiter takes our order. Then we enjoy members of the gin company coming around the tables and showing us how to make different gin cocktails. The food is of course delicious and it's the best night I've had at Peeta's restaurant.

He manages to slip away just as the restaurant starts to get quiet and I shuffle up in my chair to make room for him. He smiles gratefully at me before putting his arm around me.

"Great night, Peeta. Gin and food is a good combination," Madge says.

"Thanks," Peeta says with a tired smile. "The owner seemed happy when he came through. Apparently the bar sales went up tonight."

I smile back at him and give his hand a congratulatory squeeze.

"I'm so proud of you," I say.

Peeta smiles and rest his forehead against mine before I tip his chin up to give him a soft kiss.

Gale stretches his arms out and then pulls Madge into his side.

"I'm stuffed. Your food is the best, Peeta," he says.

Peeta grins and then Rue reaches out to grasp hold of Thom's hand. She looks a little nervous but Thom squeezes her hand and gives her an encouraging smile.

"Since we're all here now we've got an announcement to make," Rue says.

"Oh my God! You're engaged!" Madge squeals.

Rues smiles and shakes her head.

"No," she says.

Bristel looks at Thom sympathetically.

"Mate, you didn't get her pregnant, did you?" he asks.

Thom laughs and turns to face Rue.

"Not that I know of," he replies.

Thom and Rue share a sweet smile before Rue takes a breath and turns to face us.

"I got an opportunity to work in the school I helped build in Ghana. I'm leaving in September and Thom has agreed to come with me," she says.

Everyone's eyes widen in surprise and Peeta pulls his arm away to sit forward.

"Thom, who is going to be my pool partner now?" he says.

"Katniss is a more than able replacement for me," Thom replies.

I raise my eyebrow at Peeta.

"I was pretty pissed to be demoted in the first place," I reply.

Peeta chuckles and then places a kiss on my temple. Madge shakes her head in disbelief.

"How long are you going to go for?" she asks.

Rue shrugs her shoulder.

"We're not sure. At least a year but it could be longer. I do love teaching here but I also miss the kids I worked with out there. It was so much more rewarding," Rue replies.

"Rue told me about the work she did out there and it's great I can take my construction skills over and build something for people who really need it," Thom adds.

"You guys make me feel bad about my own life. Between Katniss trying to stop global warming and you two helping the developing world, I feel pretty selfish," Madge says.

"We can't all save the world," I tease.

Madge laughs as I turn to Rue.

"We're all going to miss you. But I'm really happy for you both," I say.

Thom turns to Rue and looks at her lovingly.

"It's going to be one hell of an adventure," he says.

Rue squeezes his hand and then Thom bends down to give her a lingering kiss.

We all smile and then Peeta leans back and turns to a waiter.

"This is reason to celebrate! Let's get a bottle of champagne!" he declares.

There are several nodding heads and the waiter catches Peeta's order and heads to the bar to get it. When he comes back we all get a glass and raise it for Rue and Thom. I don't think I've ever seen Rue smile so wide.

* * *

The next morning I wrap my arms tightly around Peeta as we wake. He sighs as his eyes flutter open and places a kiss on the top of my head.

"Morning," he mumbles. "How's the head today?"

I smile into his bare chest. We all went to a bar after the restaurant closed last night and didn't leave it until the bar staff chucked us out at the end. We just had too much to celebrate last night.

"Not too bad. Gin doesn't give me as bad a hangover as wine," I reply.

"Glad to hear it. We don't want to be too hungover when we meet the baby today," he says.

Peeta's elder brother, Bran, became a dad for the first time this week and has invited us and Rye around today to meet the newest member of the Mellark family. Peeta may be playing it cool but I can tell he is really excited about becoming an uncle.

"Who do you think Mason is going to look more like? I was hoping he was going to come out with orange hair like Lavinia," he adds.

"Let's hope he looks more like Lavinia. No one wants Bran's nose on a baby," I reply.

Peeta chuckles and then pulls me in for a kiss.

"I'm going to hop in the shower. I want to look my best for meeting my nephew!" he says.

I laugh as he gives me another quick kiss and smile as I watch him bound into the shower.

* * *

Bran opens the door to his house looking tired but with a massive grin on his face. Peeta steps forward to give his older brother the biggest hug I have ever seen.

"Congratulations! I'm so happy for you! I haven't stopped smiling since you told us the news this week," Peeta says.

Bran smiles as they pull back and I step forward to give him a hug too but am careful not to squish the massive basket of gifts Peeta bought for the baby.

"It's still sinking it. I catch myself so many times staring at Mason and can't believe I actually played a part in creating him," Bran replies.

I smile but my mind is brought back to those early weeks when Hunter was born. I was shit scared but I remember staring at him just like Bran said. I knew even then that nothing else I achieved would have been as great a triumph as bringing him into the world.

Peeta continues to fire off questions about his nephew but longing begins to seep through my body. I've lived this new life for seven years now. That's seven years Hunter has not been in it and my heart aches for his distinctive little boy smell and the magical sound of his laugh. I try to conjure up the image of his face in my head but to my dismay the image has gotten blurry. There was a time I knew every freckle and contour of his body. Now it's all a little fuzzy.

Bran takes us through to the living room and Lavinia sits on the sofa cradling her new born son in her arms. She gives us a smile and Peeta rushes to sit next to her. He peers over her shoulder and looks into the eyes of his nephew for the first time.

"Hello, Mason. I'm your Uncle Peeta. How are you finding the world so far?" Peeta says.

Lavinia smiles again before shifting Mason slightly in her arms.

"I think he might want a cuddle with Uncle Peeta," she says.

Peeta nods his head excitedly and Lavinia carefully transfers her son into Peeta's arms. Peeta cradles the little boy tenderly and looks down at him with a look of complete awe.

"You are perfect. We all worried that you would get your daddy's nose but luckily you inherited your mummy's looks," he says.

Lavinia laughs and Bran pretends to look offended but Peeta doesn't take his eyes off the baby.

"I've bought you so many toys already although I know you are too tiny to play with them yet. But I'm going to fight to be your favourite uncle. I know Uncle Rye has a Playstation 4 but always remember I make the best food," he carries on.

Bran takes the basket of gifts off me and I turn to watch Peeta with his nephew. The sight of it tugs on my heart as Peeta continues to chat away to the little boy. It comes so naturally to him and it's easy to imagine him with a child of our own. But that thought doesn't make me feel as happy as I thought. Because that child won't be Hunter.

Bran gets drinks for everyone and I take a seat next to Lavinia.

"How are you? I know the first wee bit is tough," I say.

Lavinia nods her head.

"I have barely slept since he was born and I'm still getting to grips with breast feeding. But Bran has been great. It's his mission to be the master nappy changer!" she replies.

I laugh.

"It'll get easier. By the time they reach three months they are sleeping for longer stretches and they will actually smile at you when you pull a silly face at them," I say.

Bran hands me a drink and raises his eyebrow.

"I didn't realise that you knew about babies," he says.

I mentally curse myself for sounding so knowledgeable. I had nine years' worth of child rearing experience in my old life but it just sounds out of place in this life.

"One of my work colleagues had a baby last year. Cecelia has kept me up to date with every milestone in Olivia's life," I say.

I'm grateful Cecelia did have a baby so that my lie has a ring of truth. Thankfully I'm saved from further questions by the doorbell ringing and Bran brings through Rye a moment later.

"Don't worry, Mason. I've brought the fun to this party!" Rye exclaims.

Bran shakes his head.

"You're going to be the person that buys our son his first alcohol, aren't you?" he says.

Rye grins.

"I'm just following our Uncle Haymitch's model," he replies.

Bran rolls his eyes and Rye plonks down next to Peeta. He tilts his head to get a better look of Mason and scrunches his eyebrows.

"I'm still waiting to get this whole baby thing. They all look like little aliens to me," he says.

"I don't think you will have to fight too hard for that best uncle trophy," I say to Peeta.

Peeta chuckles and then looks to Rye.

"How can you say that about your nephew? He's so tiny and cute! Why don't you try holding him?" Peeta suggests.

Rye doesn't look so sure but Peeta turns his body, ready to make the transfer.

"You need to support the head," Peeta says as he passes Mason to Rye. He then turns to Lavinia "I'm showing him the right way, right?"

Lavinia has to bite back a laugh as Mason is passed to Rye. Rye sticks his arms out and uses one hand to hold the head while the other supports the baby's bottom. It kind of looks like he is carrying a tray of food.

"You're a natural, Rye," I say with a chuckle.

Rye looks down at his nephew, unsure what to do with him now and spends maybe thirty seconds holding him before passing Mason back to Peeta.

"Okay. I think that's enough. Send him my way when he's old enough to appreciate Star Wars," Rye says.

We all laugh but then Mason starts crying. Peeta tries to shush him but to no avail. Lavinia gets up to tend to her son.

"Don't worry, Peeta. He'll just be hungry. He certainly inherited the Mellark appetite," she says.

Peeta nods his head as he reluctantly hands the baby back. Lavinia then disappears off to feed Mason and Rye turns to Peeta with a smug smile.

"At least I didn't make him cry," Rye says.

Peeta laughs and then we all raise a glass to toast Mason's arrival into the world.

It's a really nice lunch and everyone laughs and coos over Mason. Rye doesn't like too much baby talk and makes sure the conversation doesn't dwell on it too long.

"How was your date last night?" Peeta asks.

Rye scrunches his nose.

"She was perfectly nice. We always had conversation but the date was a bit meh," he replies.

"Meh?" Bran asks.

"Yeah. She was attractive and I wasn't looking at my watch throughout the date but I didn't come away feeling excited about seeing her again," Rye says.

"You're just too picky. It can take a while for a spark to build. Katniss and I knew each other for well over a year before we started dating," Peeta replies.

"Yeah but that was mainly down to the fact you were with Delly when you guys first met. And even then you texted me the day after you met Katniss saying how cool Prim's sister was. You knew even then that Katniss was someone you wanted to know more about," Rye points out.

I reach for Peeta's hand and give it a squeeze. Rye is completely right. I knew from the moment I met Peeta that he was someone I wanted in my life even if it was platonically at first.

"I agree with Rye. I was so excited after my first date with Bran. I know people that go on second dates with people after an average first date and it never lasts very long. There has to be at least a tiny spark of interest," Lavinia says.

Rye nods his head.

"Exactly. I had that with Prim so I know it's possible. I just haven't had it since," he says.

"Yeah but your relationship with Prim was hardly a good one. That spark led to a lot of arguments," I say.

"Maybe. But Prim and I were both young and made a lot of mistakes. I don't think I will ever find a girl as good as her," Rye replies.

"You're just saying that because you had an uninspiring date yesterday," Peeta says.

"No. Cheating on Prim is my biggest regret. She deserved so much better," he says.

I nod my head.

"She did. But she's happy with Rory now. You will find someone that makes you happy too," I say.

Rye smiles at me gratefully. Now Prim is happy with Rory I'm much more forgiving of his treatment of my sister. There's no point dwelling on the past.

* * *

I do a good job of avoiding holding Mason for most of the afternoon. I'm terrified it is going to bring up more memories of Hunter but I have no choice when Lavinia needs to go to the toilet and passes the infant to me. I'm a little shocked at first but soon settle into the familiar feeling of having a baby in my arms. Mason doesn't look anything like Hunter but the baby smell is so distinctive and I find myself inhaling it deeply. I'm reminded that no matter how bad things got in my old life, a cuddle from Hunter was enough to make me feel a bit better.

Mason begins to squirm and whimper in my arms so I get up to walk him around the room. I gently rock him as I walk circles around the room.

"Hush now. It's okay. I can sing you a song if you want. I promise I'm not bad," I say.

Mason continues to whimper so I start singing a soft lullaby that I used to sing to Hunter. I keep my eyes on the little boy and slowly the whimpers begin to lessen. By the time I've made two rotations of the living room the whimpers have stopped completely and Mason is staring up at me fascinated. I smile down at him once I've reached the end of the song.

There is a moment of quiet once I've finished and Bran looks at me in awe.

"That's it. We're hiring you as our official babysitter. I'm never able to stop him that quickly," he says.

"Depends on what you are paying," I reply with a grin.

Bran laughs and I bounce Mason a few more times in my arms before taking a seat next to Peeta again. Peeta leans in to place a kiss on my temple.

"Every time I don't think I can fall in love with you any more, you do something like this," he says.

I smile back at him but the image of Hunter becomes even stronger in my head.

* * *

Peeta is all smiles when we get back to our flat and wraps his arms around me as we enter the hallway.

"I had no idea you were so good with babies. Seeing you hold Mason definitely made me feel broody," he says before placing a kiss on my neck.

"I didn't know men could get broody," I reply.

Peeta grins as he spins me around so he can look me in the eye.

"Sure we can. Just imagine how adorable our babies will be. They can have your dark hair and my blue eyes. Mason is cute and all but we'll make cuter ones," he says.

My heart beats rapidly in my chest as he talks so confidently about our future children. And I can picture it so clearly. A girl with a dark braid and a blond boy with floppy curls. But neither of them are Hunter.

The longing for my son hits me harder than it has for a long time and tears threaten to bubble at the corner of my eyes. I suddenly can't be around Peeta and his optimism so struggle out of his arms and dart into the bathroom. I lock the door behind me and turn the tap on so he can't hear my tears. I grasp the edge of the sink and hang my head as the tears begin to fall.

Image after image of Hunter runs through my head. The look of disgust on his face when he tried ice-cream for the first time. Pretending to be the Avengers as we made sofa forts in the living room. Hunter waving shyly at me while he was on stage in the primary 1 nativity. Today has just had too many reminders of what it was like to be a mother and I can't get them to stop. In this moment I miss him more than I have ever missed anyone in my life.

Peeta knocks on the door, clearly confused about my behaviour.

"Katniss, are you okay? I didn't mean to scare you with that talk about babies. I'm not expecting us to try for a baby now. I would kind of like to be married to you first," he says.

"I'm fine, Peeta. I just had a bit too much wine," I lie.

I can sense him hovering by the door but he can't help me. I can't explain things to him and this is just something I need to grieve by myself.

I'm not sure how long I wait before I eventually I hear his footsteps walk away. I grip the sink even more tightly as the tears fall down my cheeks more freely.

* * *

 **A/N: I know a lot of people have asked why Katniss hasn't thought more about Hunter and in my head she has it's just that I've not chosen to focus on it until now. I think it's only now, when she's closer to the age that she wants children, she realises just how much a sacrifice giving Hunter up was in the first place.**

 **Thanks to everyone how is reading this story. We are rapidly nearing the end of this story now!**


	13. Chapter 13: June 2016

Chapter 13

 _June 2016_

I carefully balance the box in my arms as I follow Prim into her new flat. She wobbles slightly as she carries two boxes herself but Rory rushes towards her to steady her.

"Here, I've got them now," Rory says.

He tries to take the boxes off Prim but she grips onto them tighter and shakes her head.

"I'm perfectly capable of carrying a couple of boxes myself," she replies.

Rory grins at her.

"I suppose you have been doing a lot of body pump recently. You've certainly got the muscles for it," he says.

"Exactly," Prim says with a grin.

She then reaches up to give him a quick kiss before putting the boxes down on the floor. I follow behind her and look around the living room.

"Where do you want this?" I ask.

"Just put it down there for now. I can unpack everything later," she says.

I nod my head and put down the box. When I look back up again I find her and Rory kissing again. I smile at the sight.

"You know now that you live together you have plenty time to make out. You could at least wait until I have left the room," I say.

Prim smiles as she pulls away and tucks into Rory's side.

"I'm not going to apologise. You and Peeta are worse anyway," she replies.

"No way. Peeta and I are officially an old boring couple. Our main outing together last week was to go shopping to buy a new washing machine," I say.

"But you are also going to a beer making class next week. You're hardly boring," Prim says.

I laugh and then Rory encourages us to help with the rest of the boxes in my car. Between the three of us it doesn't take too long to get Prim fully moved in.

We all collapse onto chairs once we are finished and Prim snuggles into Rory's side.

"I would offer everyone a cup of tea but I can't be bothered to move," Rory says.

I smile as he then gives Prim's shoulder a gentle squeeze and places a kiss on her head.

"Forget about the tea. I have a bottle of prosecco we can open later to celebrate," I reply.

Prim grins broadly.

"That sounds like a much better plan," she says. "I'm just so glad to have finally moved in. Now I can see his silly face every day."

"You do know I only asked you to move in so you could do all my cooking and cleaning," Rory teases.

Prim gently swots him on the arm and Rory grins wider.

"This is going to be an equal relationship. I've already got our cooking and cleaning rota set up," Prim replies.

I laugh.

"Let me know how long that lasts. The first argument Peeta and I had after we moved into together was over how I stocked the fridge wrong. Turns out Peeta wasn't open to the idea of arranging the food in the fridge in a different way," I say.

"I don't think I have any weird OCD things like that. Besides Prim has stayed here enough to know where everything goes," Rory replies.

I smile again.

"I guarantee you will both find out some strange quirk about the other you didn't know about before. We all have them," I say.

Prim shrugs her shoulder.

"I'm ready to know all of Rory's weird quirks. And I'm sure I'll love him more for it," Prim says.

She looks up adoringly at Rory and he leans down to give her a lingering kiss. It's the happiest I think I've ever seen her.

* * *

I leave Prim and Rory after we drink the bottle of prosecco and head home to catch up on some work. I've been recently promoted to head of the transport section within the sustainability company and I have a big presentation to Edinburgh Council this week about helping them to improve the tram experience in the city.

I work on the presentation in nearly every free moment I have and with Peeta's shifts at the restaurant we hardly see each other that week. But he's managed to get the day of my presentation off and we're planning to attend the beer making class afterwards so we can finally spend some quality time together.

But all my hard work pays off and I feel very prepared for the presentation on Thursday. I stand confidently in front of all the council people as I outline my plans to help them with the trams.

"So in conclusion, expansion of the Edinburgh Tram line is key. Currently the trams do not reach enough people but until expansion is possible we can increase frequency of the service and really work to make the station at BT Murrayfield rugby stadium a hub of activity so rugby fans only think of the tram when travelling to games," I conclude.

The council people all nod their heads in approval and some ask questions before the meeting officially ends. Everyone seems to receive my suggestions positively and my boss looks pleased as the council people begin to file out the room. She comes over to me with a smile once they have all left.

"That was excellent. I can tell you and your team have worked very hard on this. I overheard one of the council people saying how impressive you and your ideas were," she says.

"Thank you. I think it helps that I'm talking about something I really believe in," I reply.

Paylor nods her head.

"Your passion and enthusiasm has always been your greatest asset. We're certainly lucky to have you here," she adds.

I thank her again before heading back to my office and looking at my other tasks for the day. However I have barely sat down when Peeta appears at my door. I look up at him with a massive grin and immediately get up to greet him. I wrap my arms around his middle and reach up to give him a kiss but I can tell something is off as I pull away. His head hangs slightly and there is a sombre look in his eye.

"Is everything okay?" I ask.

My heart pounds faster as I try to read the look in his eyes but all I see is sadness.

"Have you checked your phone at all?" he asks.

I shake my head.

"No. I've been in the presentation all morning. Why? What's happened?" I ask.

Nausea begins to rise up in my chest as the panic sets in. Every instinct in my body is telling me this is something really bad.

"Your mum tried calling you and when she couldn't get you, she called me," Peeta starts.

My grip on him gets tighter and I look deep into his eyes, desperate for any reassurance that whatever it is, it will be okay.

"It's Prim, Katniss. The wheel of her bike got stuck in a tram track on her way to work today. The tram didn't have time to stop. I'm so sorry, Katniss. She didn't make it," he says.

The ground seems to give out from underneath me and I collapse against Peeta. He catches me and pulls me close against his chest. Searing pain rips through my whole body.

This can't have happened again. I came to this life to save her. I stopped her from dying all those years ago. I wasn't supposed to save her just so she can die seven years later.

"No. I don't believe you," I say.

My fists curl into the fabric of his t-shirt and Peeta holds me tighter.

"I wish is wasn't true. I'm so sorry," he says.

I shake my head fiercely as I relive the worst moment of my first life again.

* * *

Peeta explains the situation to Paylor and I am given an indefinite amount of time off. I pack my bag in a daze and am only able to make it out of the office because of Peeta pulling on my hand. When we get to the hospital I am hit with the biggest sense of déjà vu. I've been here before. I've stood in front of this very hospital before, going in to see my sister that has been killed in a road accident. This is the last thing I want to relive in again.

But Peeta is here beside me this time. He keeps a tight hold of my hand and keeps me tethered to reality for the moment. Last time I had Hunter to help me survive. This time I know I will need Peeta.

We meet mum in the relative's room and the tear tracks are clear down her cheeks. We've never been close but when she throws her arms around me, I hold onto her tightly.

"This is a parent's worst nightmare," she sobs.

"This wasn't supposed to happen. She had so much left to do," I reply.

I think it may be even worse this time. I've now had the time to see what an amazing nurse she is. I've seen her fall in and out of love and then finally commit to someone for the long run. Everything was going right for her so it seems cruel to take her away now.

"Has anyone told Rory? Someone needs to tell him," I ask.

Mum shakes her head.

"I don't think we should tell him over the phone," she says.

I feel sick at the thought of telling him face to face. I'm struggling to keep my own emotions in check and can't bear the thought of being the person that makes his face crumble.

Peeta slides his arm around my waist and I rest my head against his shoulder.

"I can go round and tell him if it's easier for you," he says.

I tip my head up and nod at him gratefully.

"Thank you," I say, squeezing his middle.

He squeezes me back and then a doctor comes in to explain what happened to Prim. I don't really hear all the medical jargon. It doesn't matter anyway. She's gone.

Peeta leaves after that to break the news to Rory and I get some time to see my sister. I hold my breath as I enter and nearly falter when I catch sight of Prim on the bed. They've tried to clean her up but cuts and bruises are scatted all over her face. It's scary how similar she looks to when she died the first time. I walk tentatively towards her and reach a hand out to touch her. But her skin is so cold to touch that I jerk my hand back in surprise. I look down at her and wish that this was all just a bad dream.

I spend a long time staring at her battered face, trying to conjure the image of her before this all happened. I try desperately to picture her happy and healthy but the longer I stare at her the further away that images seems to be. Eventually I turn away as I realise that it's not helping. This shouldn't be the image I remember of my sister.

I take a deep breath and let the tears roll silently down my cheek. I wrap my arms around myself and focus only on my breathing. There is nothing more I can do for Prim. I tried to save her but it still didn't work. She died anyway.

I try to wipe some of the tears away and turn back to face her for one last time. I grab hold of her lifeless hand and give it a squeeze.

"I'm sorry that I failed in protecting you," I say.

I then lean down to kiss her forehead before turning to walk out the room.

* * *

Peeta comes back to the hospital with Rory but I only have the energy to give him a weak hug before I ask Peeta to take me home. Neither of us speak on the journey back and I don't wait for Peeta to lock the car before I make my way inside.

When I enter the flat I head into the living room and then stand staring in the middle of it. I don't know what to do now and Peeta comes up behind me.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asks.

I shake my head.

"There's nothing to say. Prim's gone," I reply.

I then turn to him and feel the tears build up. There is only one thing Peeta can do so he pulls me into his arms and lets my tears soak his t-shirt.

* * *

Eventually I make it onto the sofa and Peeta suggests watching some TV. But watching _Friends_ repeats is only a momentary distraction. Peeta holds me most of time but gets up to make us something to eat. I almost tell him not to bother. I have no appetite but I sense his desire to cook is a form of his own distraction.

While he cooks my phone continues to buzz with messages of condolences. Peeta had managed to get the message around our friends but I'm not in the mood to read any of them now. I don't have the energy and don't want to pretend that I'm doing okay. They can all wait.

However, my phone starts to ring and I'm surprised when Rye's name flashes up on screen. My finger hovers over the reject button but something stops me from pressing it. Maybe it's because I know he loved Prim too but I grab hold of my phone and answer him.

"Hello," I say, a little hoarse.

"Katniss, I would have called earlier but I didn't know what to say," he says.

"I'm not sure there is much that can be said," I reply.

"Yeah. It took me a while to think of the right words. I even started writing things down. My whole bedroom is a mess of scrunched up papers," he says.

"Normally I would scold you for wasting paper," I say.

Rye lets out a light laugh.

"I promise to recycle it," he says. Then there is a long pause. "But I finally realised what I needed to say."

I nod my head even though I know he can't see me.

"Prim was terrific. She was goofy and smart and loyal and I loved it when she danced around to Taylor Swift as she cooked. I will never forget when she grilled the cake and she was the best Pictionary partner I ever had. I'm going to miss her. A lot," he says.

The tears roll silently down my cheeks as Rye talks. Because of all the hurt he caused Prim it can be easy to forget just how well he knew her. All those things are exactly what I needed to hear at the moment. I needed to be reminded of the things that made Prim great and that there were other people who loved her.

"Thank you, Rye. I'm going to miss her too," I reply.

"We won't forget her, Katniss. She is too special for that," he says.

I smile but I know from previous experience there will be certain things we'll forget about her. I just need to remember the important things about her and how happy she made me and many other people around her.

We then spend the next few moments swapping our favourite stories about Prim and by the end I even find myself laughing as we remember my sister.

* * *

I go through the motions the next few days. I help mum with the funeral preparations and Peeta tries to keep me busy with trips to the archery range and walks in the Pentland hills. I find I can't go near my bike. The image of Prim getting stuck in the tram track is just too fresh.

On the day before the funeral I go around to the flat she shared with Rory for less than a week. My aim is to pick up some stuff for the funeral but I also haven't seen Rory since the day she died.

There are massive bags under his eyes when he answers the door and he walks slowly into the flat. Many of the boxes I helped move in are still sitting, unopened in the living room. Rory goes through to the kitchen and offers me a cup of tea. He sighs heavily as we take a seat at the table with our teas.

"I don't think I need to ask you how you are doing," he says.

I reach a hand out to grasp onto his.

"I feel safe in the knowledge that I'm not supposed to feel alright. That way I don't feel bad for suddenly crying when I find her favourite bar of chocolate in one of our cupboards," I reply.

Rory nods his head.

"I must have looked like a right weirdo when I was in Tesco the other day. I started crying in the meat aisle when I saw the chicken and remembered the chicken curry we were planning to make that weekend," he says.

"We're allowed to miss her," I say.

"But for how long?" Rory asks. "My work has told me to take the week off but what about after that? Everyone expects you to move on after the funeral but I'm not sure I can."

I grip onto his hand tightly. I have the advantage in that I have survived Prim's death once before. I remember feeling like I would never stop missing her and in some ways I never did, but it definitely hurt less to miss her as the years passed.

"I don't think we can put a time limit on when to move on. We were probably the two people that loved her the most so it is going to take us longer than everyone else. We don't have to forget Prim completely, just start living our life in way she would be proud of," I reply.

Rory nods his head.

"I just didn't expect it to hurt so much," he says. "I loved her more than anyone else. We had all these plans together. We were going to save up to buy an almost derelict house and then completely remodel it. We were going to go down to Cornwall next year and learn how to surf. She even convinced me to go to pottery class with her. Now I have nothing."

The tears have started to fall down my cheeks again. I can picture Prim doing all these things so clearly. She would have lived her life to the fullest and would have been happy and content. I can understand why Rory feels so directionless now.

I sniff loudly and roughly wipe back the tears.

"You should still go to pottery class. I'll come with you. I'm sure Prim will be watching and laughing at our rubbish attempts," I suggest.

Rory sniffs too and looks a bit unsure. I give his hand a squeeze again.

"I know it's not much but it's a plan to do something," I add.

Rory gives my hand a grateful squeeze.

"Thank you," he replies.

* * *

I naturally seek Rory out at the funeral the next day. I'm amazed just how many people turn up to say goodbye to my little sister. Rue and Thom even make it back from Ghana and there is not enough space inside. People spill out onto the path outside the crematorium. I don't recognise every face but it is comforting to know lots of people will miss my sister.

A lot of people want to speak and many of Prim's friends stand up to share a favourite memory of her. Rory only has the strength to read a poem for her and he barely gets to the end of the poem before breaking down. Mum chooses to do a poem too and then it is my turn to speak. I slowly step towards the lectern, not totally prepared to make a second eulogy for my sister.

I search for Peeta's eyes in the front row and focus on them. If I look anywhere else I won't be able to finish.

"When Prim was first born I was a little unsure of her. I didn't know what to make of this pink and wailing tiny creature. I thought she would try to steal all my toys," I start.

There is a slight murmur of laughter.

"It turns out she did steal my toys. When Prim was only six months old she took my beloved teddy bear Bramble and slept with him every night until she was twelve. It was only when I was round at her flat this week that I finally managed to steal him back," I continue.

"Of course I wish I didn't get Bramble back this way. Prim had been determined she would pass him down to her own children. But she will never get to do that. When I think about her death I keep thinking about all the things she won't get to do. She won't ever get to fulfil her wish of swimming with dolphins or to acquire a taste for red wine. She won't get to build her dream house with Rory or find out if we survive Brexit. I know there are going to be so many moments in my own life where I wish she was here. There is always going to be gap in my life," I say.

There are a few sniffles and choked back sobs. I gain enough courage to pull away from Peeta's gaze to look out at the rest of the mourners. I take a deep breath as I prepare so say my last thing.

"I'm sad this is why so many of us our gathered here today but I think it just shows how many lives Prim touched. She's gone too early but I know she will never be forgotten," I finish.

There are more sobs and a lot of nodding heads. I look back to Peeta and he gives me a reassuring smile. I thank everyone for coming, holding it together long enough to get back to the safety of Peeta's arms. Only then do I let a tear to slip down my cheek.

* * *

I'm exhausted when Peeta and I get back to the flat. Peeta offers to put on a pot of tea and I head into the bedroom to get changed out of my black dress. Rory was right about one thing. Now the funeral is over people will expect us to get back to normal. But I still feel far from normal.

I kick off my shoes and find some slouchy trousers to wear. I then pull open a drawer to get one of Peeta's t-shirts. I have a favourite maroon one he wore when completing tough mudder. I always wear it when the only thing I want to do is curl up on the sofa.

I rummage about the drawer to find it but my hand hits against something hard. I furrow my eyebrows as I dig it out and my heart stops when I pull out a velvet ring box. I stare at it dumbfounded as Peeta walks into the room with the cups of tea. His eyes widen when he sees what I'm holding and he quickly puts down the cups before coming over to me. I look up at him confused.

"Is this what I think it is?" I ask.

Peeta gulps and nods his head.

"How long have you had it?" I ask.

I don't dare open it. Marriage has been the last thing on my mind at the moment.

"Almost a month. I was going to propose on our trip to Budapest," he says.

I shake my head in disbelief. We were supposed to go next week but we cancelled when Prim died.

Words leave me and I'm not sure what the correct response is. Peeta steps forward to take the ring box out of my hand.

"Prim helped me pick out the ring," he says.

The words hit me right in the heart and I choke back a sob. I can imagine how excited Prim would have been when Peeta told her he was buying a ring. I'm suddenly flooded with images of Prim teaching Peeta about cuts and clarity. I imagine her bringing a bottle of champagne round when we came back from Budapest engaged. She would have been there every step of the way as we planned the wedding.

The tears come again and Peeta gathers me in his arms. I cry into his chest as the sobs wrack my body. The ache of missing Prim is the most intense since I was first told she had died. Peeta holds me tightly and places a kiss on top of my head.

"I still want to marry you but I'm not going to propose while you are this sad. I don't want to get married as a distraction for Prim," he says. "But you must know that I love you and am here for you in any way you need."

I continue to cry as I am so grateful for Peeta's patience and understanding. I don't deserve this man. Not when I feel so broken.

* * *

I go to bed early that night with the tear tracks still fresh on my cheeks. As I hide under the covers I can only think of the people I have lost. I have lost Prim and I have lost Hunter. It's days like today that I am reminded that not every day in this life is better than my old life.

* * *

The next morning I am stirred from my sleep by footsteps outside the bedroom door. I must have fallen asleep quickly last night as I don't remember Peeta joining me in bed later. I keep my eyes closed as I stretch out my limbs. My heart still aches from yesterday and I'm not quite ready to get out of bed yet. The footsteps continue to patter outside but they are a lot quieter than Peeta's normal heavy treads. And then I hear a soft bang and a high pitched voice float through the door.

"Oh no! Please don't be broken," the voice says.

I snap my eyes open and look directly at the door. Because that voice sounds nothing like Peeta. It's a child's voice. A voice that I am so familiar with and thought I would never hear again.

I throw back the covers and yank the door open. I'm met with the sight of Hunter standing on the other side of the door.

* * *

 **A/N: Yep. We're back in her old timeline. It'll be made clearer why she lived this different life in the next chapter. It's the last chapter before the epilogue so trust that I have a plan to bring everything together.**


	14. Chapter 14:June 2018

Chapter 14

 _June 2018_

I rush forward to gather Hunter in my arms and hold him tightly. I inhale his earthy smell deeply and feel his heart beating steadily. I never thought I would get to hold him like this again.

"I've missed you," I say.

Hunter looks confused as I pull back slightly to look at his face. His brown hair is slightly mussed from sleep and I count the number of freckles across his nose. There are so many tiny details I have forgotten like the tiny flecks of blue in his otherwise grey eyes.

"I've only been asleep, Mum. We played Minecraft together last night," he says.

I smile as I smooth down some of his hair. I don't think I have missed any of his life. I seem to have come back to the day I left him. I have replayed the last night I spent with him over and over in my head and I can still remember building a wizard castle on that computer game. I'm back in the house I shared with Gale but most importantly I am back with my son.

"I know. It just felt like I had a really long sleep last night," I reply.

Hunter still looks confused but then looks down at the Thor action figure in his hand.

"I dropped Thor and now part of his helmet broke off," he says despondently.

I smile kindly at him as I take the toy off him.

"I can fix that," I say. "But first, how about we make pancakes?"

A grin spreads across Hunter's face as he nods eagerly. I offer him my hand and he lets me take him down to the kitchen.

I savour every moment as we make pancakes together in the kitchen. I flick some flour in Hunter's direction and my heart leaps with joy when I hear his childish laugh again. I spend a good amount of time just studying him. I smile when I see him stick his tongue out while he concentrates on mixing and laugh when he does his impression of the Hulk.

I'm not sure what has brought me back to this life. My other life felt too real to be a dream and maybe I was always supposed to come back at some point. Maybe my redo life was supposed to teach me something. For all I changed Prim still died. And now I'm back I remember exactly what was good about this life. And he's standing beside me making pancakes now.

I lean in to place a kiss on Hunter's head and then place my hand on his shoulder to look at our handiwork.

"We're a pretty good team, munchkin," I say.

Hunter nods his head.

"You're a pretty awesome mum," Hunter replies.

* * *

I listen to Hunter eagerly as he talks about his favourite Marvel superhero moments and laugh when he almost falls off his chair as he re-enacts one of the scenes. But eventually we have to finish and he asks whether Gale is coming home today.

As much as I am enjoying being back with my son there are still some hard things I have to deal with now that I'm back. When I left I had sent Gale away to his parents after I had caught him kissing Madge. Having lived another life I now know that Gale and I were never meant to get married. Our ambition would have always driven us apart and there are two other people out there that we loved more. I know this is a bad marriage and can't be fixed. But it's still not going to be easy to tell this to Gale.

I message him, asking him to come over, and Hunter greets him with a big smile when he arrives.

"Mum and I made pancakes this morning, Dad. You missed out," Hunter says.

Gale smiles at him.

"I'm sorry I missed it but your Granny needed some help," he replies.

Hunter shrugs his shoulders.

"Next time we'll make enough for you," he says.

Gale looks to me but I quickly look away. I can't quite forget that this Gale betrayed me so even though I know it can't work, it still hurts.

"Can you read me another chapter of Harry Potter? Ginny has just been taken to the Chamber of Secrets and I want to know how Harry saves her," Hunter asks.

Gale keeps looking at me for a moment but realises I'm not giving anything away right now. He looks back at Hunter and nods his head.

"That sounds exciting. You go and get the book," he says.

Hunter nods his head and then dashes upstairs to retrieve it. I finally turn to look back at Gale.

"We'll talk after you've had some time with Hunter," I say.

Gale nods his head solemnly and then Hunter comes back waving the book. Gale follows our son through to the living room and the two of them sit closely together on the sofa while I head into the kitchen to finish tidying up.

I let Gale enjoy this time with Hunter because I know that after our conversation he won't get to see him as much.

Finally Hunter gets bored of Harry Potter and then goes up to his room to play with his Avengers figures. Gale turns to me looking apologetic and I make my way over to take a seat opposite him.

"Look. I'm sorry about yesterday. It was a stupid mistake and I shouldn't have yelled at you after. It didn't mean anything to me," Gale starts.

"Mistakes don't happen twice. You kissed her at my birthday too. I think it's time we're honest with each other," I reply.

Gale shakes his head fiercely.

"They were just kisses, Katniss. We can fix this. I want to be here for you and Hunter," he says.

I surprise him by reaching out and taking his hand. I give it a little squeeze.

"This can't be fixed, Gale. And it's not even really about the kisses. Kissing Madge is just the catalyst needed to spark this conversation. We're not happy, Gale," I say.

"You can't just want to give up. We've been through too much together," he says.

I shake my head.

"We should have never got married. The main reason we got married is because we thought it would bring stability to Hunter's life not because we loved each other. We haven't loved each other in a long time," I admit.

Gale hangs his head.

"We blame each other for not succeeding in the way we wanted to and nearly every conversation we have ends in an argument. It's not healthy, Gale. I'm so tired of being unhappy," I add.

Gale pulls his head back up to look at me and there is only sadness in his eyes.

"What are you saying?" he asks.

"I want a divorce, Gale," I say.

Gale hangs his head in defeat but I give his hand another squeeze.

"I want us both to be happy again but that's not with each other. We were once best friends and I really hope in time that we can get back to that," I say.

Gale nods his head slowly.

"Okay," he says.

He then takes a long breath and turns his head to look up the stairs.

"How do we tell Hunter?" he asks.

"We'll do it together. But it's the one part I wish we didn't have to do," I reply.

Gale nods his head and we both get up to call Hunter down. We sit him down between us and explain the situation to him. Confusion and pain cloud his eyes and I wrap my arm around him to hold him close.

"We both still love you and you'll still see Dad lots," I say.

Gale nods his head.

"I'm still going to be your Avengers partner and finish Harry Potter with you. You are the most important guy in my life," he adds.

Hunter snuggles in closer to me and looks between us.

"I don't want you to go," Hunter says.

Gale nods his head sadly.

"I need to go. I don't like arguing with your mum so I'm going to get my own house," he replies.

Hunter hangs his head and I place a kiss on top of it. This is going to take him a while to get used to.

"I think Dad can stay one last night. You can choose to do whatever you want," I say.

Gale smiles gratefully at me and Hunter nods his head. He ponders this for a moment before suggesting we build some of the Star Wars Lego he got for his birthday. Gale and I agree to help him and it feels like a huge relief to have finally got to this place with Gale. With the pressure of trying to hold a marriage together now off we have the best night together in a long time. Neither of us nag or moan at each other and we just enjoy the company of our son.

Hunter is a bit weepy the next morning when Gale leaves and I contemplate keeping him off school but decide in the end it's best to keep things as normal as possible. I do speak with his teacher though as I drop him off, explaining the situation and telling her to give me a call if he gets really upset.

I then head into work at the doctor's surgery and Glimmer greets me enthusiastically.

"Good morning, Katniss. How was your weekend? Mine was amazing! My boyfriend won that sevens rugby tournament and then we all got drunk on the bus back. I almost didn't make it to pole dancing lessons the next morning!" she exclaims.

I smile and nod my head at Glimmer. Before I would have barely tolerated her and her endless stories but I now realise that was partly because I was jealous of her. I was jealous that she seemed to be living a much more exciting life than mine. But I now realise that it was my own fault for not achieving as much as I could have in this life.

My redo life has shown me that I could have chosen a different job. I may not be qualified for my dream job at the sustainability company but I could have looked for jobs that were more suited for my interest. Low entry jobs at parks or eco-companies would have kept me more engaged than the job I hold here.

And there is nothing stopping me from joining some of the classes I tried in my redo life. I can make the time and find a babysitter for Hunter to go and learn Spanish and beer making. I need to stop blaming Gale and Hunter for my lack of success and be more proactive about my future.

That evening, after Hunter goes to bed, I look online and start applying for jobs that actually interest me. I send off three applications and feel a sense of satisfaction. I even start looking up evening classes and hope Gale will be okay with looking after Hunter one night a week while I go to one.

As the week goes by I feel more content in this life. I send off more job applications and contact the lawyer about the divorce. Gale says he doesn't want a fight and I'm hoping that the whole thing can be done as quickly and as painlessly as possible. If I hadn't lived my other life I think I would have held more resentment to Gale for how he betrayed me and things would have grown even more bitter between us. Hunter would have probably got caught in the middle of it and we would have all been miserable. But I had seven years to come to terms with the fact Gale and I weren't right for each other in my other life. There's no point for me to hold grudges.

Hunter is quieter than usual that week and he often wanders around the house as if he is seeking Gale. But he is excited when Gale takes him bowling on Thursday night and I have to hope that in time he will get used to Gale not being around every evening.

There is still one loose end I need to tie up. While Gale takes Hunter to bowling I call Madge and invite her for a drink.

She looks awful when she arrives at the local pub. The make-up doesn't quite hide the bags underneath her eyes and she has just tied her hair in a limp pony tail. She begins her apologies before she has even sat down.

"Katniss, I'm so sorry. I've spent this entire week hating myself for what I've done to you and your family. There is absolutely no excuse for what I did. I had two selfish moments and I've been regretting them ever since. That's why I stopped messaging you as much because I felt so guilty and I tried to distance myself from Gale," she says.

I let her get it all out of her system before speaking. I know I should be angry at her for what she's done but I came to terms a long time ago that Gale and I weren't right for each other. And my other life showed me how perfect Madge is for him. I'm not sure I believe in soul mates but I don't think there is anything Madge could have done to stop developing feelings for him.

"How long have you been in love with him?" I ask.

Madge looks startled and shakes her head rapidly.

"I'm not in love with him. I could never be in love with him. He's your husband," she says.

"Not for much longer," I say.

Madge stops in surprise.

"You can't be getting a divorce? Oh, Katniss. I never wanted this to happen," she replies.

I shake my head.

"You're not the reason we're getting divorced. We don't love each other anymore and Gale wouldn't have kissed you if we had both been happy. The kiss just highlighted everything wrong with our marriage. It's what's best for all of us," I say.

"I'm so sorry. I can't imagine what you are all going through," she says.

"We'll get through it and I hope we'll all be better for it," I reply.

Madge nods and then hangs her head.

"I understand if you can't forgive me but I will always want what is best for you," she says.

I reach out to give her hand a squeeze. Madge pulls her head up to look at me surprised. I stare straight into her eyes as I speak.

"I forgive you," I say.

"How can you?" Madge asks.

I give her a small smile.

"I don't think it's your fault for developing feelings for Gale. Sometimes we can't help ourselves," I say.

Madge opens her mouth to protest but I shake my head to stop her.

"You do have feelings for him. I think you might have had them for a long time but I was too caught up in my own shit to realise. But you only acted on them recently and that was only because you listened to Gale when I couldn't. I'm not saying you should have kissed him but don't beat yourself up for falling for him," I reply.

Madge shakes her head in disbelief.

"I can't believe you are being this good about it. I honestly thought I had lost you as a friend," she says.

I smile coyly at her.

"I've had a lot of time to think about things," I say.

Madge will never know just how long I had to think about it and I can't tell her just now how I think she is perfect for Gale. Maybe in the future, sometime after the divorce is finalised and everything is less raw, I may even gently prod them in each other's direction. But not today.

Madge smiles gratefully at me and I order two glasses of wine. I'm not going to lose my friend today.

* * *

The next couple of months pass quickly as divorce proceedings pick up and Hunter and I get used to new routines. Gale makes the whole thing easy by giving us the house and I don't care about getting any other money other than child support for Hunter. Gale manages to find a new house only a fifteen-minute walk away and Hunter enjoys designing his new bedroom.

The nights when Hunter is with Gale are harder than I thought. But after spending eight years without him, I find that I am reluctant to part from him. I even become jealous of his teacher for the six hours a day she gets to spend with him.

I find it's best to keep myself busy on these days. I sign up for an Indian cooking class and head out to the archery range again. I'm glad to find that my experience in my other life carries through to this life and I'm still a pretty good shot.

However, it is the days without Hunter that I miss Peeta. At first I was so busy dealing with the divorce that I didn't have time to think about him. But now the distractions are fading and Peeta drifts into my memory more and more.

I never met him in this life. I have no idea if he is even still in Edinburgh. Late at night when I'm feeling lonely and miss the feeling of his arms around me, I type his name into Google and Facebook. But I can never press the search button. I'm too scared about what I might find. A nice guy like Peeta is hardly going to stay single for long. I'm terrified if I hit that search button I will find out he is already married with some adorable blond kids. I don't think my heart could handle that sight.

So I continue to miss him and focus my attention on my son. Sacrificing having Peeta in my life is the price I have to pay to get to live with my son. When given the choice I would always choose Hunter.

Responses to my job applications start coming back and I get quite a few rejections. But I make a promise to myself not to take it personally. I keep perservering and eventually a job comes up that really interests me. It involves working for Eco Schools in Edinburgh and my role would involve going around the schools and helping them with Eco projects they are trying to run. One of my favourite parts of working at the sustainability company was going around the schools and promoting cycling. I feel like I could be good at this job.

I leave the interview with nervous butterflies in my stomach. I felt it went well. All my experience with the sustainability company meant that I could answer all their questions confidently and there seemed to be a lot of smiling and nodding. But I have no idea what the other candidates are like. There could be someone better for the job.

Hunter is still enjoying his summer holidays so I pick him up from his friend's house and take him to a local ice-cream place to distract me from the interview.

"How did it go?" Hunter asks between licks of toffee fudge ice-cream.

"I think it went well. They said they would get back to me this afternoon," I reply.

Hunter nods his head.

"I think you'll get it. You've always really helped me with eco projects at school," he says.

"Thanks for believing in me," I say.

"You always tell me I can do whatever I want so now I'm going to say the same to you," he replies.

I grin broadly before leaning to place a kiss on his head.

"Thank you. You are the best son I could have ever asked for," I say.

Hunter smiles at me before he goes back to licking his ice-cream. His talk of superheroes and Minecraft are the perfect distraction from my job interview.

We have just discarded our napkins from the ice-cream when my phone starts ringing. It's an unrecognised number so I'm pretty sure it must be the people calling me back about the job. I take a deep breath before pressing the call button.

"Hello. This is Katniss Hawthorne speaking," I say.

"Katniss, it's Effie Trinkett from Eco Schools. We were delighted to meet you today. I have to say we were a bit surprised how much you knew about the area considering you've had no obvious prior experience in it," she says.

Sometimes, having lived two lives causes a few awkward explanations about how I know certain things.

"It's just been something I've always been interested in and have read a lot about," I say.

"Yes. You certainly came across very knowledgeable and definitely very passionate about it. We were very impressed," Effie replies.

My heart beats faster as I chew on my bottom lip. Hunter looks as he waits for me to give him a sign.

"So we would be delighted to have you on board. Congratulations, Katniss! You got the job!" Effie continues.

My face splits into a massive grin and I give Hunter a thumbs up. He smiles too and wraps his arms around my middle to give me a hug.

"Thank you so much for giving me a chance," I reply.

"It's honestly our pleasure. I think you will be a real asset to our team," she says.

I thank her again and then Effie talks me through some of the recruitment processes. I can't stop smiling when I hang up.

"I knew you would do it, Mum!" Hunter says.

I hug him tight and savour this small moment of triumph.

"We need to celebrate. How does pizza at The Italian Kitchen sound?" I ask.

Hunter nods his head eagerly.

"Can I have ice-cream after?" he asks.

I raise my eye-brow at him.

"You just had ice-cream," I point out.

Hunter shrugs his shoulder.

"You can never have too much ice-cream," he replies.

I laugh as we turn to walk to the restaurant. He's come a long way from disliking the coldness of it when he was a baby.

There is a spring in my step as we approach the restaurant. The pieces in my life are coming together and I feel positive about the future.

We get shown to a table when we enter and are handed menus. My eyes eagerly scan the men for the latest pizzas and I realise how much I've missed the food here.

I never did come here in my other life. It was just that little bit too far away from the flat I shared with Peeta and I spent most of my time eating what he had made. As Hunter makes his own dish choices I'm reminded just how much I love this cosy setting. I wish I had brought Peeta here as I'm sure he would have loved the authentic Italian cooking. Italian was always his favourite food.

When the waitress comes back to take our orders I decide to order a glass of prosecco.

"I think I deserve one to celebrate with," I say.

"What are you celebrating?" the waitress asks.

"I just got a new job working for Eco schools," I reply proudly.

"Oh, congratulations! I was in the eco committee at my primary school. I loved it," the waitress says.

"Hopefully I can inspire more people to join," I say.

The waitress nods her head with a smile and then takes the rest of our order. Hunter gets excited when I allow him to have a fizzy drink on a week day.

I moan when the pizzas arrive and savour every bitter of the cheesy and garlicky goodness. It's definitely the best pizza I've ever had.

I enjoy the meal with Hunter but then his eyes widen when he sees something behind me.

"Mum, I think they are bringing something for you," he says.

I frown, confused because we haven't ordered anything and twist round to see what Hunter is talking about. My heart stops when I see it.

A member of the restaurant staff is walking towards me holding a giant sundae with a sparkler on top. But that's not what makes my heart stop. It's the sight of the man carrying the sundae. Peeta.

I stare at him in disbelief as he and the waitress come up to me and put the sundae down. The sparkler continues for a few more seconds before dying out and Peeta looks down at me with a broad grin.

"Amber told me that you just got a new job. The Italian Kitchen would like to give you this sundae to say congratulations," he says.

Hunter licks his lips at the sight but I can't stop staring at Peeta. My heart thumps loudly in my chest at just being near him again.

"You didn't have to do that," I somehow manage to say.

I'm not sure what to think about seeing him now. He doesn't know me. I can't just blurt how I much I love and miss him. I quickly glance at his ring finger but there is no wedding band there. My heart skips a beat at the thought and am so glad that I gave my ring back to Gale a couple of months ago.

"Sure I can. And I'm the owner so any decision I make is final," he replies with a grin.

I shake my head confused. Owner? How does he have his own restaurant now? All this time I have been coming here and the owner has been the man I have loved more than anyone else.

Peeta must see the look of confusion on my face as he offers an explanation.

"I know, I know. I don't look or sound Italian. But Italian food has always been my favourite and I spent a year in Italy learning to cook all their dishes. It's always been my dream to own a restaurant so when my Granny died I used the money from her will to open this place," he says.

And suddenly it all makes sense. In my other life Peeta never went to Italy to learn how to cook because he chose to stay and start dating me instead. And when his Granny died we used that money to buy a flat rather than open a restaurant.

I realise that although I had more successes and thrived in my other life, I stopped Peeta from succeeding some of his own goals.

"That's amazing," I reply. "This is Hunter and mine's favourite restaurant."

Peeta smiles broader.

"That's what I like to hear. What's your favourite dish?" he asks Hunter.

Hunter pauses to think for a moment before answering.

"The sausage pizza. We tried making it at home but it wasn't as good," he replies.

"You know we do kids cooking classes here? You could sign up and I can show you how to make the pizza yourself," Peeta says.

Hunters eyes widen in delight and he nods his head.

"You teach the kids yourself?" I ask.

Peeta turns away from Hunter to lock eyes with me. A shiver goes up my spine when I see him look so carefully at me.

"Yes. I love passing on my wisdom. The kids get so excited," he replies.

I nod my head so proud of what he has achieved here. He then digs into his pocket to pull out a business card.

"I'm Peeta Mellark by the way. Take my card and you can call me if your son ever wants a lesson," he says.

"Thank you. I'm Katniss," I say.

I reach out for the card and our fingers briefly brush as I take it off him. A spark of electricity shoots through my body and my eyes snap up to meet Peeta's blue ones. The look on his face is enough to tell me he felt it too.

* * *

 **A/N: So some people guessed that Peeta was the owner of the restaurant mentioned in chapter 1! Hopefully you see how Katniss used what she learned in her other life to make this life the best possible life for her.**

 **There will be an epilogue in the next chapter and I hope you have all enjoyed the journey!**


	15. Epilogue: May 2019

Epilogue

 _May 2019_

I smile fondly at Gale and Hunter as they try to construct the tent Hunter got for his birthday. I'm so glad that my son seems to favour outdoor gifts rather than the less stimulating computer games and Hunter insisted the tent got put up for his birthday party this afternoon. But my son sighs heavily when Gale puts the poles the wrong way round and shakes his head.

"The instructions are there to help you, Dad," he says.

"I've put up enough tents in my life to know how to do it without looking at instructions," Gale replies.

Hunter shakes his head again and I bite my lip to stop myself from laughing as Gale looks confused over all the different parts. I almost go over to help but the doorbell rings and I head inside to answer it. I smile when I see Peeta on the other side holding trays of mini pizzas, burgers and garlic bread.

I say hello to him before Peeta follows me through to the picnic tables I have set up outside. I help him lay out the trays of food and then slide my arm around his waist.

"Thank you for doing all this. I might eat it all before Hunter's friends arrive!" I say.

Peeta chuckles and gives my waist a squeeze. In about thirty minutes time this back garden is going to be filled with excited ten-year-old boys all squirting water guns at each other for Hunter's birthday. I'm not sure those boys are aware of the lengths I will go to get my hands on as many of Peeta's treats as possible.

Peeta looks over to Gale and Hunter and my son gives him a little wave. Peeta gives him a smile and then turns back to face me looking a little nervous.

"It's no problem," he replies. "But are you sure that Hunter doesn't mind me staying for his party?"

"You couldn't be a bigger hit with my son. You had him won over when he discovered you owned a Thor hammer," I say.

Peeta's shoulders relax a little and he turns me so he can put both hands on my waist. He smiles as he leans his head closer to mine.

"And thank you for not judging me when you found out that Rye and I still had pretend fights using it," he says.

"Your dorkiness is one of the reasons why I love you," I reply.

Peeta smiles at me again and then ducks down for a brief kiss. He lingers only slightly as he pulls away but we both are conscious of the eyes watching us.

Much to my delight Peeta and I have managed to fall back together. I had been so scared that he would have found someone else to love in this life. And there was an Italian fiancée he was with for six years but they split a little over a year before I met him again after she went back to Italy to see her family and then refused to come back. I didn't have to compete with anyone for his affections.

Hunter loved Peeta's cooking classes and every week I spent just that little bit longer talking to Peeta at the end. I was pleased to see that Peeta was still very much the man I fell in love with the first time and could only wait six weeks before asking him out again. I think Peeta was a little surprised by my boldness so soon after the divorce but eagerly took me up on my offer.

The pace of the relationship frustrates me at times. Peeta is conscious about not rushing everything so soon after Gale and I have to remind myself that although I have known him for nearly ten years he has known me for less than twelve months. But my feelings for him haven't changed in this life and I know marriage and another child is what I want from him in the future.

Gale finally manages to work out the tent and Hunter grins when he sees the tent take shape. They high five each other when it's finally erect. Peeta turns to me with a grin.

"How long did have they been trying to make the tent?" he asks.

"Close to an hour," I reply.

Peeta laughs and then Hunter waves us over.

"Mum! Peeta! Come and sit in the tent," he calls.

I smile as we walk towards the tent and then all crawl into the space. It's a bit of a tight squeeze with both Gale and Peeta in it but Hunter couldn't look happier.

"This is a pretty awesome tent," I say.

Hunter nods his head excitedly.

"Thanks Mum and Dad for getting it for me. I can't wait to go proper camping with it and make a bonfire," Hunter replies.

Gale wraps his arm around Hunter's shoulder and squeezes him tight.

"I've found a new campsite just outside St Andrews. How about we take the tent up there next weekend and give your Mum and Peeta some alone time?" Gale suggests.

"Urgh! Gross, Dad! Ben's brother told me what adults get up to at night! I know exactly what you mean," Hunter groans.

Peeta and I chuckle and then Peeta puts his arm around my shoulder so he can place a kiss on my temple.

"Your mum and I just want you out so we can get a shot of playing with all you Lego figures," Peeta says.

Hunter rolls his eyes and there is more laughter in the tent. Gale looks across to catch my eye.

"Sorry if I embarrassed you. I'm just trying to be a supportive ex-husband," he says.

I smile gratefully at him. I wasn't sure how Gale would react to my new relationship with Peeta but after some initial feelings of hurt he realised Peeta was a good guy and has made an effort to get to know him. I'm so thankful that the divorce seems to have eliminated all the issues we had in our relationship and there seems to be no bitterness between us. And in the last couple of months I really feel like we are getting back to the friends we should have always been in the first place.

"It's not a problem. But bear in mind I will get my own back at you at some point," I reply.

Gale laughs.

"I mean, have you phoned Madge yet?" I ask.

Gale blushes and looks down at his feet. Enough time has passed now for me to be comfortable with the thought of the two of them being together in this life. It seems obvious to me that both of them still have feelings for each other but both seem reluctant to admit it.

"I've been busy getting everything ready for Hunter's birthday," he says.

I roll my eyes at him but Hunter then tugs on my arm.

"Can we read a chapter of Harry Potter before the party begins? I want to know what the next Triwizard Tournament challenge is," Hunter asks.

"Go and get the book then," I say, nodding my head.

Hunter grins and then squeezes out the tent to retrieve the book. When he comes back he snuggles between Gale and I and opens up the new chapter. He then twists his head to look at Peeta.

"Can you see, Peeta?" he asks.

Peeta smiles and nods his head.

"I've got a good spot here. Start whenever you want," he replies.

Hunter nods his head before turning back to face the book and he begins to read aloud. I smooth some of hair down as Peeta slips his arm around my waist. Gale looks down, focused on our son reading and I think this is how my life should have always ended up.

* * *

 **A/N: So we've finally reached the end! I think all the characters are now in the best place to be their happiest!**

 **Thank you to everyone who followed/favourited/reviewed this story. Your support has made this whole story very enjoyable!**


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